09-12-2011, 12:16 PM
LAHORE - Around 120 displaced residents of the Ittehad Colony Rohi Nullah protested outside the Sharif residence in Model Town on Sunday after their houses were demolished the day before in an anti-encroachment operation led by the Nishtar Town administration. The operation, officials claimed, was to clear way for a road to the new sabzi mandi. Protestors chanted slogans demanding resettlement at an alternate location. Model Town SHO Tajammal Hussain arrived at the scene to inform the protestors that the relevant Teshil officer had been sent by the SP to hear their demands and they should return to Ittehad colony. Hussain said if there were issues with meeting the Tehsil officer today, protestors could return the next day to meet the relevant authorities in Model Town. He assured them they would be resettled as they were poor people with a legitimate need, however, they should not think it was their right to set up camp where ever they wanted. Protestors told Pakistan Today that they had slept with their belongings on the road the previous night. They said they belonged to Pakistan and the government ought to provide them with basic housing, adding that if their belongings were ruined because of rain or they were robbed, the government would be held responsible. The protestors were joined by Women Workers’ Helpline President Azra Shad. The protestors told the SHO they would give them one working day (Monday) to provide them an alternate residence. They said if their demands were not met they would gather outside the Sharif residence on Tuesday at 10am to seek relocation, adding that they would come seeking a decision that day and their protest would continue till the government provided them an alternate location and compensated them for the losses suffered during the demolition operation.