RAHIM  YAR  KHAN
Dozens of residents of Basti Lashari of Chak 143-P protested against the demolition of their slum houses and staged a sit-in at DCO Office Chowk.
The local leaders of Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf, PPP, City Council and Mazdoor Ittehad joined the sit-in to solidarity with the residents. The protesters said that their houses were demolished by administration on the orders of local parliamentarian in January despite the stay orders issued by the court. They said that administration wanted to build a girls college at the land of kachi abadi on which they had been living for the last 60 years.
They said that the Punjab chief minister issued the certificates of ownership and they had Wapda electricity meters in their houses. On the occasion, PTI district president Rana Raheel criticised the present government and alleged that the local MNA was behind the demolition.
He demanded that the DCO and DPO should not follow the orders of MNA and stop the “injustice”. He said that if the administration did not consider his request, he would move the court. Former state minister Zafar Warriach said that he would fight for the rights of the poor. Jam Azam Anees said that the demolition was a matter of revenge as the people had voted for the PPP.
He alleged that the MNA was victimising Saraiki people. He said that the administration had given free hand to the MNA. He alleged that the latter’s supporters  had grabbed acres of state land in Chak 143-P. Saifullah Niazi said the government should pay the victims for their houses.