Terming slums ‘sources of crime and terror’, the Sindh government has asked its ministry of katchi abadis to regularise all slums in the province, particularly in Karachi, as soon as possible or prepare for a settlement plan for the dwellers, it emerged on Saturday.“The katchi abadis are sources of crime and terror and a dream refuge for every criminal and terrorist to hide away conveniently in any of the hundreds of slums in the metropolis,” said a senior official in the Sindh government. There are reports that govt of Sindh has ordered either to regularize or remove the slums. The removal of slums will not solve the underlying problem, that there are a vast number of men, women and children residing in these slums not out of choice but because the government has failed to provide physical infrastructure to the people. The Sindh government’s ambitious schemes named after slain prime minister Benazir Bhutto which aimed to provide cheap housing to the poor across the province has already run into snags as the officials say most plots in Karachi have already been encroached upon while the scheme in Larkana — the native district of the Bhutto family — has been jeopardised by local police. Karachi is home to some of the largest slum dwellings in South Asia (including Lyari, Machhar Colony, Orangi town and Azam Basti). Just demolishing slums and forcing people out of their homes will not provide any respite in crime. Crippling poverty will still be an issue, and hence people will resort to crime and violence elsewhere. Rather, the slums can be slowly made into formal housing, with public goods provided. Allocating the land to the poor people and providing sanitation, education and healthcare, will go a long way to improve the security situation in the metropolis. Demolishing these slums is only a cosmetic measure.In the culture of Pakistani politics, the land will eventually go to the highest bidder and thousands of people will be homeless in the name of development. The government has to take necessary steps to either provide low-income housing schemes to resettle the families. Housing aside, it is the intangibles associated with a life built up over decades that are lost when people leave their home, even if the home is a straw hut. They lose their community, voice and organisation, as well as the sense of belonging.
pk.shafaqna.com
Removing Karachi slums: Homeless are more vulnerable to terrorist activities
