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JI urges govt for alternative land to Katchi Abadis residents

Recorder Report

LAHORE: The Jamaat-e-Islami on Friday urged the government not to demolish the Kutchi Abadis on the Railways land without providing the residents alternative land and prior notice.

Lahore JI Political Bureau Chairman Hafiz Salman Butt addressing a press conference here described it as unjustified to demolish houses of those who were living in various Katchi Abadis such as "Gujja Pir".

He said Chief Executive Gen. Pervez Musharraf claimed to care for the poor. But, he regretted that the administration was acting contrary to the CE's policies.

He said the JI would send its workers to defend the residents of Katchi Abadis in future if their houses were to be demolished without prior notice.

Hafiz Salman Butt also asked the Punjab government to settle the issue of Al-Hadeed Market at the earliest as it was damaging the business community.

He claimed that during Shahbaz Sharif's government the traders were allowed to deposit Rs 0.5 million each for the shops in this market. He said now the administration had asked the traders to deposit Rs 0.8 million for each shop, which was unjustified.