Protests in Karachi against forceful eviction of people from old villages

Demonstrations and shutter-down strikes were held in cities and towns of Sindh to protest against the demolition of houses in Karachi's old villages where the administration is reclaiming lands for housing projects.

The rallies and demonstrations were called by the Sindh United Party (SUP) and Qaumi Awami Tehreek (QAT) and were supported by several other nationalist parties and groups including Sindh Taraqqi-pasand Party (STP), Dawn reported.

The Bahria Town administration is facing resistance from the residents of the lands in Gadap and Kathore who are not ready to surrender what they claim to be "their ancestral lands".

Recently, a man had sustained bullet wounds when armed guards of Bahria Town private security firm clashed with villagers in Kathore.

Speaking to the protesters, the SUP and STP leaders said that Sindh's resources were being usurped.

They said that this kind of action to occupy Karachi's villages spoke of the rulers' intention to transform Sindhis into a minority within their own province. They also demanded an immediate halt to the destruction of villages and registration of cases against all those involved in the demolition as well as those who were supporting them.

In Sehwan, a protest rally was taken out by SUP activists under the leadership of Darya Khan Leghari, Asghar Solangi, Mohammad Nawaz Rind and Ghulam Shabbir Buriro.

In Bhan Syedabad town, the local SUP leaders organised a march on streets and roads before holding a demonstration in front of the local press club.

( With inputs from ANI )