Eleven policemen were injured in clashes when the Hyderabad police resorted to aerial firing and massive tear gas shelling on Tuesday to clear encroachments for the construction of a 24-foot-wide road and restoration of an abandoned irrigation canal of the department of irrigation in Qasimabad.
An unspecified number of people, including some policemen, were injured when clashes broke out in Bhitai town along the Jamshoro highway as a large contingent of police along with administration officials reached the area to demolish the encroachments.
The campaign provoked a strong reaction from those living in the invaded structures when they threw stones at officials and broke the windows of a couple of government vehicles. The journey continued even after sunset.
Hyderabad Deputy Commissioner (DC) Zainul Abideen Memon said dawn.com that 11 people were injured.
“We have to build a 24-feet wide road from Karan Khan Shoro to Wadhu Wah,” said DC Memon, who reached the area after stiff resistance from residents that led to the suspension of the anti-encroachment drive.
More police forces later arrived in the area and the area’s power supply remained cut off.
“We are acquiring machinery to clear the road by demolishing the structures,” Memon said. He added that a stretch of approximately one kilometer still needs to be cleared of invasions.
“The 2.7 kilometer road is being constructed by the highways department, while the irrigation canal will be restored by the Sindh irrigation department,” he said. Memon said around 350 to 400 encroached structures were present on the stretch as per a survey conducted by Qasimabad deputy commissioner.
There were different complaints from residents regarding the issuance of notices by the administration, as some affected parties confirmed that notices were given for the anti-invasion campaign, while others denied having been notified.
According to Jawaid Mastoi, a resident of Larkana, he received a notification. “We’ve lived here since 2010 on a lot that’s over 1,800 square feet,” he said, adding that he had bought it from someone.
“We received services like gas and electricity and no one objected then,” he said.
Some angry women also came out to resist the authorities during the tour.
“Why did they provide us with electricity and gas meters if they were illegal?” a woman shouted. The residents also alleged that irrigation department officials had taken money from them to build their houses.
Members of the affected families were seen sifting through the rubble of their razed structures, separating usable material and moving it into carts.
“Our families have been staying at our neighbor’s house since mine was demolished,” said A. Raheem Noonari, a native of Larkana.
He said he had settled in the area about 10 or 15 years ago to earn a living. “I bought the 400 square meter land for Rs 1 million and got a paper stamp, but I don’t have any record,” he said.