Not everyone has received compensation for property lost to OLMT

Irfan sits contently outside his mobile shop at Thokar Niaz Baig, a part of which has been recently demolished to make space for the Orange Line Metro Train. He is content with the compensation that the government has given him.

“The poor have gotten rich. The government gave them double, triple in return. We got compensation according to the market rates of the last three months on which the land deed was mutated. Moreover, the rents have been increased,” he told Pakistan Today.

“We were given forms that we filled and took to the LDA and got done with the paperwork. This is how we got compensation. We were allowed to keep the debris with us and that also benefitted us. Even the debris rate that we got is double the amount.” he exclaimed.

He claims that neither the owners nor the tenants suffered any loss. All tenants received Rs 70,000 even if the rent they were paying was Rs 30,000 to 35,000.

He said that many people couldn’t get compensation because either their papers weren’t complete or there were internal disputes of inheritance because of which the property wasn’t distributed among the family members.

However, the case is not the same with everyone.

Another shop owner in the same area told Pakistan Today that the amount of compensation that the affectees got depends on whether they bribed the government officials or not.

“Everyone got different amount of compensation money. We got only Rs 36,000 for the business loss we suffered. The guy next to me got Rs 250,000 although he has a small shop. We didn’t bribe them that’s why we got less,” he said, asking not to be named.

Akhtar Jan, a marble shop owner from Ali Town who lost 7-8 marlas of his shop because of the Orange Line Metro Train project said that the government gave insufficient compensation.

“The rate of one marla is 700,000 to 800,000 here but they only gave us 150,000 per marla, he said.

He said that there were only verbal notices for the demolition and the authorities are yet to give them a written notice. All the affectees that Pakistan Today talked to said that the government has only given verbal notices so far.

Mohammad Imran who owned a mobile accessories shop at Ali Town said that the government designated around 20-25 shops including his, as ‘undocumented land’. They said that the area will be re-surveyed and that they will look into the matter later, he said.

“I told the LDA officer that this is not undocumented land as we pay property tax on it. When we get water, electricity and gas bill, then it is not an undocumented land but when you have to pay us then you say it’s undocumented. All we know is that the one we made chief minister has turned us into beggars.”

He also said that in two months he has faced a huge loss. “Furniture cost Rs 200,000 but we didn’t even get half the price when we sold it. Even the décor cost us a lot and now it is worthless.”

He said that the owners of the shops are getting something but the poor tenants are not.

A house owner at Samnabad, whose house has been demolished partially, said that the local Patwari is asking for Rs 500,000 for mutation deed of the property. “Without it we can’t get compensation. They were not even ready to give money for the debris and only released the amount when we protested.”

“LDA persons demolished the houses and their construction workers threw people’s stuff outside.”

He also said that it has not been confirmed as to how much part will be demolished. “We are not sure what will be demolished overall. First they mark it, then they remove it,” he said.

A shop owner at Chuburji whose shop has been demolished said that he has paid 15-20 visits to LDA and still hasn’t got the compensation money.

Another owner said, “Whether it’s business loss or debris, we got nothing. I have the registry with me but I didn’t get it made. I bought this place in 1972 and have given money for it. The government was supposed to give us money for structure, which they haven’t paid as yet.”

Mian Tahir Munir, a plaza owner at Chuburji roundabout who is also a lawyer, managed to get a court restraint order against the demolition of his plaza. He is also not happy with the compensation being offered by the government.

“The government is asking me to withdraw the case if I want the compensation. But they are offering 1/3rd of the actual land price which is by no means enough for me. I couldn’t find any new piece of land from money they are offering. Secondly, money cannot help a person in establishing a business which he is running at previous place and there is no policy of rehabilitation from government.”

Talking about the legal aspects of land acquisition he said, “There are a lot of pre-requisites which the government should fulfill before taking possession of land like they should pay compensation to the affectees or deposit the same in the government treasury.”

Pakistan Today contacted Lahore District Coordination Officer Captain (r) Muhammad Usman for the government’s point of view but he said that the Lahore Development Authority (LDA) was responsible for the payment of the compensation money.

No LDA official was available for comment despite repeated attempts.