- Right of shelter provided by some, exploited by others
Among many tabdeelis promised in the Naya Pakistan, one is the provision of housing facilities to the homeless. While the steps taken are indeed commendable, it may take some time for the objective to be achieved, since it is the web of conspiracy and dishonesty which has made the acquisition of shelter more arduous than simply the lack of it.
In his early 30s, Mohsin Ali, employed in Lahore as a driver in a residential set up, heaves a sign of relief as he puts his phone down. His relative from native village in Tehsil Deepalpur, District Okara of Punjab, has informed him that a meeting with the local District Coordination Officer (DCO) regarding his house has been successful, with the officer having initiated a process of documentation of the houses Ali and his close relatives own. This development came only after a nightmare Mohsin Ali faced of a fear of suddenly becoming shelter less.
Mohsin Ali had bought a 6-marla piece of land from his brother in the year 2004, who had himself purchased it from a local numberdaar or land owner. As the tradition prevails, the sale and purchase of land was simply witnessed by few villagers and not documented.
“Over the years I have spent over 600,000 rupees in building a house and then renovating it, apart from the cost of land which was 12,000 rupees,” Ali shares details. The locality is also undergoing development work with sewerage lines being laid, while gas and electricity is already provided in the area.
But in October this year, Mohsin Ali and other residents of his village received a notification from the DCO’s office, that the land is in fact a property of the Auqaf department of the State, with a notice period of roughly 15 days to vacate.
Villagers had the choice of either complying quietly or protesting noisily. “When we approached MNA Rao Ajmal Khan, who won from our locality in the recent elections, he assured that our lands will not be taken away,” says Ali. “MPA Jugnu Mohsin also said that if the lands were taken forcibly by the government, she would give lands to the villagers from her personal property or find some other solution. But they belong to PML-N and we feared that their assurances may turn into empty promises, since they don’t have any power in the government,” Ali explained.
Fortunately, he and his relatives chose the path of mediation, to which the local government responded and the land is expected to be allotted to the residents, in exchange of a cost to be deposited at the office on a monthly basis, to ensure transfer of power. Other villagers, who are mostly either illiterate or have barely received primary education like Mohsin, resort to violence, claiming to break the heads of officials if they dare enter with crushing cranes, as surely being homeless is not an option for them.
It is not only a dream but the right of any rich or poor man to possess shelter, a roof over one’s head
According to research compiled by the monthly publication Herald in this November issue, Pakistan has an estimated housing shortage of 10 million units and the deficit continues to grow, particularly in urban areas. The PTI government has planned to build about 5 million units in the next five years to bridge the housing deficit. This entire project is estimated to cost nearly $180 billion and has begun in seven districts, including only Faisalabad in Punjab (hence Mohsin Ali can not benefit from it this year), expected to expand in other districts in phases from next year.
But this scheme for the ‘common man’ also demands a cost sharing from the applicant. The total cost of a unit is Rs12,00,000, with half of the cost to be borne by the buyer. After an advance of Rs100,000, a monthly instalment ranging from Rs5,000 to Rs40,000, depending on affordability has to be paid. For a common man, the extent of affording such a cost is questionable.
Meanwhile, the prime minister has been informed that over 40 bidders and construction companies have applied for providing land and constructing house units under the Naya Pakistan Housing Programme (NPHP).
On the one hand where dreams of new houses are being floated, illegal encroachments over the country have come under serious threat. The most prominent ‘land clearing’ initiative was taken recently in Karachi, where the land around the iconic Empress Market was cleared free over 1000 sprawling shops, with a 30-year-old contract between KMC and the markets being terminated. Neither compensation nor any alternative location has been offered by the authorities so far.
But the real brunt is borne by those who have acquired shelter under such arrangements. Pakistan or Federal quarters, also in Karachi, were provided to the people by the country’s first prime minister, Liaquat Ali Khan, in view of their services after the creation of Pakistan. However, this year a Supreme Court order directed the government to clear illegal occupants of Pakistan Quarters and Pakistan Secretariat, dismissing a stay order petition in July, but deferring the eviction notice by three months in October, following protests by the residents. Recently, the Sindh Assembly unanimously passed a resolution demanding that occupants of the federal government’s residential quarters in Karachi be immediately granted ownership rights.
Meanwhile, the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) has told the apex court that 6,000 ‘unregistered, illegal, ghost and paper’ housing societies have been found in the country. “Since the schemes are only established to fleece money from the unsuspecting members of the public, specific actions are required to be taken against these schemes”, said a report by a Joint Investigation Team (JIT) comprising representatives of FIA, National Accountability Bureau (NAB) and Anti-Corruption Agencies earlier by the court. The JIT was asked to conduct an audit of private and state societies.
The lure of an affordable house has swindled thousands of Pakistanis through unauthorised or unregistered housing schemes in the past few decades. Since these schemes are heavily advertised, they attract many potential customers. The question is how do they evade the eye of security agencies or housing authorities?
It is not only a dream but the right of any rich or poor man to possess shelter, a roof over one’s head. The number of homeless people in Pakistan is not determined, but a photograph recently circulated on media showing a homeless family, huddled in a blanket on the street, with hand made utensils strewn across to be sold during the day, clearly shows the plight of such people. For such, temporary shelters in tents have also begun to be set up in the country, but that is of course, not a permanent solution.
Nor is a thatched roof with a life under the mercy of nature, neither is removing encroachments without given reasonable time and alternate space for dislocation. To begin with, such illegal occupations should be discouraged immediately as they start. So should the invalidated housing schemes, which take advantage of the simplicity and lack of knowledge of common man.
