Gulshan-e-Sikandarabad in land mafia’s clutches, claims KPT

KARACHI – The land mafia has taken over a large portion of Gulshan-e-Sikandarabad, a precious land of the Karachi Port Trust (KPT) worth billions of rupees that was reclaimed from the Chinna Creek, the KPT said in a press release issued on Wednesday. The KPT claimed that one Sikandar Jadoon is the leader of the land mafia that is controlling the area through Jadoon’s influence. Only the KPT is authorised to reclaim land for development of the port and the surrounding area for cargo storage. There are no immediate reclamation plans in the eastern backwaters, whereas any other reclamation is strictly forbidden.
However, the slum settlement in the area is being constantly expanded on the directions of nefarious elements. Jadoon is responsible for the attack on the KPT estate manager and a judicial magistrate through direct firing using automatic weapons while the officials were surveying the area. First Information Report (FIR) No 182/2011 was registered against Jadoon at the Jackson police station.
A couple of days later, Jadoon and his mafia attacked the joint check-post of the police and the Port Security Force (PSF) and set it on fire.
They also opened fire on the PSF officials, including a deputy superintendent of police and three station house officers of the area. FIR No 235/11 was registered at the Jackson police station following the incident. The mukhtiarkar has registered FIR No 22/2011 against Jadoon as per the prevailing rules and regulations of the Anti-Encroachment Act incorporated under the Board of Revenue. However, no one has been arrested thus far. The eastern backwaters form an important reservoir for maintaining the hydraulic regime of the harbour. Chinna Creek serves as a lung to the Karachi Harbour.
However, the land mafia is engaged in massive encroachments under the umbrella of Goth Abad Scheme from Hawkesbay (including Younusabad), Machhar Colony and Shireen Jinnah Colony to all the way up to Sikandarabad. The KPT has time and again voiced its concerns to relevant authorities and quarters of the government, but all in vain.
The PSF and KPT Anti-Encroachment Cell’s representatives were able to curb the encroachments to some extent, but the progress remained short-lived due to the strong backing of the land mafia, which has strengthened its hold on the area.