Whose land it is?

 

Bahria Town Trampling People’s Land, History & Environment Underfoot

People, cattle stock, mountains, rivers, and even those buried in graveyards awaiting for a door to paradise to be opened are under constant threat of vandalism and evacuation.  Welcome to Haji Ali Mohammad Goth and Ali Dad Gabool goths villages where the villagers are struggling to save their land from Bahria Town Karachi Limited (BTK), the real estate giant who is eyeing mega projects in villages by displacing ingenious people.

For decades, people have lived here and cultivated. Their ownership and use rights have been already been legalized in the Survey of Pakistan. However, BTK has turned a blind eye to this fact and has made constant efforts to grab the land. In the last few years, the real estate giant has made roads by demolishing Goth’s graveyards, demolished houses, and cattle sheds, running away with livestock, and attacking villagers.     

Hafeez says Malik Riaz sent a message to every Sindhi: “This is the value of your heritage and the Sindh government is backing him.”

The land, its rich heritage, national park, rivers, and people are fighting for survival.       

Hajeeran Baloch (55) will never forget the day when BTK officials accompanied by the police officer Rao Anwar stormed into Haji Ali Mohammad Gabool Goth. Women were busy with routine chores and men were out of the village for work.  BTK officials and police marched into the village asking for evacuation.

“Do not come forward,” Hajeeran, warned them. Today she is surprised that from where did she get the courage that day to speak? But she and other women have a task in their hands – to protect their sweet homes.   Women showered BTK and police with stones and whatever they found at that moment to push them back.

It was a fight between unarmed women and police with advanced weapons.   

Land Grab

BTK is on a spree to grab the land and build housing projects for the rich.  Malik Riaz, the owner of BTK is known for trading indigenous people’s land and all key institutions in the country have blessed him in some or another way.  

“Who is not supporting Malik Riaz?” asks Hafeez Baloch, an activist working with Indigenous Rights Alliances. “Retired Army Officers are working for BTK; the judiciary system legalizes his illegal actions, and governments either in Islamabad or Sindh are backing him,” he adds.  

Hafeez has been struggling to protect the land from Malik Riaz and the land Mafia. Despite having received threats, he continues his mission.

Meanwhile, another entity Defence Housing Authority (DHA) has joined the BTK to evacuate people from their land. These forces can stake a claim on any land at any time.

People in Malir District started a remarkable struggle against BTK and DHA and became the voice of people fighting to protect their land.

In 2021 Indigenous Rights Alliance, Sindhi Nationalist Political Parties, and activists held a large protest against BTK in Karachi. The ruling Pakistan People’s Party in Sindh jailed them under terrorism charges over vandalizing BTK’s property. whereas the Indigenous Rights Alliance denied all allegations and alleged it was an attempt to silence the struggle against BTK; moreover, then Chief Justice of the Supreme Court Pakistan was seen supporting BTK and was angry over protestors. 

Supreme Court’s role

Earlier in May of 2018, the people of Malir triumphed when the Supreme Court of Pakistan gave a verdict: that BTK’s action of acquiring land in Malir and the Malir Development Authority (MDA), Sindh government was illegal.

However, the Supreme Court discounted its decision in March of 2019 and legalized BTK construction in Malir when BTK offered 460bn to the government.

‘If animals cross the road, BTK caught and charged the owners Rs 10,000 to 20,000 otherwise BTK would not return the animals,’ Hajeeran asks; “Tell me how we can teach animals, should not go outside.”

Climate Change, Culture, and History

Villagers say that BTK had ruined the Malir River and mountains that have historical evidence connected to Buddhism and other sects. Hafeez says, “Malir River is the lifeline of Malir is going to vanish.”

Hafeez and other activists’ voices have less value than tycoon Malik Riaz or the land mafia, which collects Rati/Bajri (Gravel) and water and crushes stones, and use them for their construction. Collecting gravel or breaking stones are illegal since 2003 in the Malir district besides, it is a violation of the High Court Decision in 2012, which prohibited it (The Rise News is in possession of a copy of the decision) and the Sindh government has yet to take action against BTK and others.

The jungle and small rivers are at risk and climate change resulted in a devastating flood in Sindh and Balochistan. While the Sindh government claims to be proactive on climate change, the environment is in peril in Malir, and the Sindh government is nowhere in sight.

Villagers treated like animals

Ghulam Qadir Burfat, activist, and victim of BTK – inquired workers about why they were breaking stones. They responded to him that were ordered to cut them. “Don’t come to our village,” he said to them while clearing sweat on his forehead.

“You have seen it BTK is working on Jamshoro land but others are in denial,” he said to the author. Qadir was more worried and hurt because he did not want to lose his village. If he lost it, what would be other options, and how he could support his family?

Villagers are cordoned off as BTK has built walls around them. They cannot go to the city without BTK’s permission.

Qadir shared one of the incidents that villagers had to stay with a dead body at BTK’s gate for a whole night since BTK refused to open the gate and earlier morning, were allowed to carry a dead body to the village. “We have to show them our Identity Card when we cross the gate,” he said.  

‘If animals cross the road, BTK caught and charged the owners Rs 10,000 to 20,000 otherwise BTK would not return the animals,’ Hajeeran asks; “Tell me how we can teach animals, should not go outside.” Even children who are confined to houses do not go outside for playing.

Hajeeran and Hawa Baloch women pointed at the water container: each cost 4000/5000 thousand rupees and it caters to their routine chores in houses. Before BTK, villagers had accessed groundwater since BTK seized land, it controlled groundwater by deep boring and it stopped villagers’ water.

Locals complained about being corralled and could not go anywhere – an area, which belonged to them, is become alien to them. Villagers have no water, no electricity, and no hospital but on the other side of the road, BTK controls everything.

A young man sitting at the doorstep joined the conversation and said, “These are tactics to make us weaken to abandon the village.” However, Hajeeran angrily responded: “Whatever they do, turn our lives into animals; we will fight for our land.”

Kirthar is at risk

Bahria Town is expanding construction to deh Mole, district Jamshoro, it is the mounting area – locals live in muddy and thatched houses and some land around houses is cultivated. 

A senior citizen was coming to us inquiring if BTK’s people came again. Because many people were asked to leave their land, nonetheless he and his family refused to hand over their land to BTK. He could sacrifice his life instead, but he did not deny the fact that Malik Riaz was a powerful man who had modern weapons and money; the government or feudal lords are eating out of Malik’s hand. Having calculated risks, he determined to resist and protect his piece of land.

Kirthar is an ancient mountain that is over 308,733 km in extent in Sindh one-third part in the north of Karachi and two third part in Dadu district. Kirthar was declared a National Park in 1974 by the late Zulfikar Ali Bhutto’s government and after a year added to the United Nations’ list of National Parks in 1975. Kirthar is the home of the unique species Sindh ibex.

The Sindh Wildlife Protection Ordinance 1972 prohibits “breaking up any land, mining, and any other purpose.”

Hafeez shared his experience when he was young; he and his fellows were not allowed to pick up anything as the Sindh Wildlife Department’s men stopped them, adding, they saw unique species. “Now BTK is breaking stones and wildlife is being harmed, too.”

Bahria Town is increasing its construction work; it never shies away from removing historical places and harming Kirthar National Park.

Javed Maher, Sindh Wildlife Department denied any construction carried out at Kirthar National Park and further added his department would never compromise on such activities that would cause serious threats to the environment and species. He inquired about a viral video on social media, which claimed that construction was being carried out in the Kirthar area. It was not around Kirthar National Park, he said.

Further added that BTK already submitted a statement in a constitutional petition in pendency before SHC that ‘they are well aware of the sanctity of a National Park and will continue to respect such sanctity.’

“Any construction surrounding Kirthar National Park is a violation of the act,” said a person who did not want to be named.

Hafeez wondered about those who did not see the consequences of BTK – this project would be continued to Gorakh Hill. “Every history will be trampled underfoot of Bahria Town.” BTK and DHA both projects are launched to establish Jinnahpur to steal the land of Sindhis, he said. Jinnahpur was a controversial political plan in which Sindh was to be divided.

BTK constructed a large Mosque, the land where Mosque is built, was a historical place that linked Sindh’s legendary Sufi poet Shah Abdul Latif Bhitai who stayed there, it was known as Takia, Shrine. Jogis, on the way to Hinglaj Kali Mata temple, staying there.

Malik Riaz has built a toilet at Takia where Shah Abdul Latif Bhitai spent time. Malik Riaz sent a message to every Sindhi: “This is the value of your heritage and the Sindh government is backing him,” he said.

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