Islamabad slums thinking out of the Box

As reported in the media a recent survey on the ’Katchi Abadis’ in and around the capital is 24 with 13,521 families consisting of 84,591.They have been officially declared as a security risk and fast becoming hubs of notorious activities so they have to be dealt with as soon as possible it adds. This is indeed a big number. There resettlement and making them live like respectable ordinary citizens should be the prime responsibility of the State of Pakistan. This is the labour force that makes Islamabad look clean and green. What can be possible out of the box solutions for them so that they live as respectable citizens and keep contributing to Islamabad’s economy?

The sprouting up of huge housing schemes on the outskirts of Islamabad has been swift whatever the reasons for this might be they all have one thing in common they are not made for average lower middle class and middle class Pakistani citizens. To name a few the snobby Defence Housing Authority (DHA) Islamabad covering an area of 48951500 Sq Yards, The mighty Gulberg Greens (GG) farm housing scheme covering about 1931000 Sq.yards, another GG residential scheme covering up to 7500000 Sq. Yards, the elegant and neat Naval Anchorage 669500 Sq. Yards and believe me there are more the National Police Foundation, the exclusive Park Enclave and the one of its kind Naval Farm houses near the picturesque Simly Dam. Most of them with their own state of the art clubs, parks, business enclaves, some with golf courses. Then it’s the new sectors of CDA the Ezz, the Fs, the Gs.

My question why could the CDA just gift a small sector and construct cheap elegant housing for these people shifting them phase wise? Or better ask the owners of these huge residential estates to allocate at least 15,000 Sq. yards each to settle them.

This can solve the following problems for CDA i.e. most of the workers and families can be documented and registered. All foreigners from any country can be identified staying illegally. Since all of these mega housing schemes are gated with their own security mechanisms the movement of suspicious people can be under constant surveillance. This will also create job opportunities for them as most of these residential estates are in need of raw labour to work as maids, gardeners, drivers etc.

Now about who is going to fund all this, that is very simple I am sure many residing in the main sectors of Islamabad are not so poor citizens of Pakistan. I am sure CDA can tax a few owners of the commercial markets, the banks, the multinationals. I am sure most multinational companies that have their head offices in Blue Area and brag a lot about their Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) can contribute handsome amounts to this initiative. I am sure many private donors running NGOs will now finally come to the help of these marginalized poor people instead of sitting in their cool offices writing reports to their head offices about community mobilization, gender equality, child labour etc. They can actually put their plans in to action.

All it needs is a proactive approach, thinking out of the box we are all citizens of Pakistan and everyone is entitled to live a peaceful life in this land of the pure.

Note: The cheers of Pakistan Zindabad, Jeve Jeve Pakistan by about 1 million Pakistanis still echo in slums of Dacca.