This long forgotten topic has been touched by an allottee M. Shafiq Ahmad of Karachi. There was a DAWN journalist Hameed Ahmed who used to write his write ups on this housing scheme at least twice a year. With his death no newspaper or journalist later ever touched it.
Merhran Town Housing Scheme was announced in 1973 by Karachi Development Authority. This was a gift by Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto for Overseas Pakistanis (Ops). 100% payment in advance was taken. Those who applied late 1970s or early 1980s were told plots have been reserved for them and were advised to deposit payment. But after getting full payment no allotment letters were issued. On enquiry the first time people were told allotment was subject to balloting. For years no balloting was done and KDA kept on enjoying the interest where money value reduced for those potential unsuccessful. I approached right from Sindh Government to OPF, Ministry of Overseas Pakistanis, Governor, President, MNAs and Senators and this and that but nothing happened. One MNA even raised the issue in the then National Assembly. The Overseas Pakistanis Foundation (OPF) claimed to have been established for welfare of Ops did nothing. By the Blessings of ALLAH THE GREAT in the meantime Sindh Ombudsman Office was established. I approached the Sindh Ombudsman who fixed a Hearing date for KDA to submit arguments. Two days before the Hearing the KDA all of a sudden held the balloting. Of course my name was in the list of successful!!! My memories if in this old age are not misguiding me later KDA sometime about 1988-1992 demanded increased development charges though there was no development of the scheme. I again approached the Sindh Ombudsman. The Sindh Ombudsman directed KDA to issue me Allotment Letter benefit of which also reached to all.
The scheme started in 1973-74. KDA did some development work. In 1978 the Malir Landhi area came under heavy rain. Malir’s giant bridge was damaged as well as this scheme. In two weeks Malir river bridge was repaired as well as all other areas. Since 1978 till today Karachi saw many heavy rains, many flood like situations, many new roads buildings were made, those got damaged re-repaired but on this scheme “physically” remained the same. Whenever anyone raised the issue there was only on “duphly” to be beaten by KDA namely “1978 floods eroded the development work. But KDA never gave any answer that since 1978 there had never been any flood.
In our childhood our elders used to say that that child eats so much but in proportion to his consuming his body was not consistent. The elders termed it as a disease. Since 1978 huge budget has been spent on this scheme but physically it appears like that sick child it digested all without showing any physical mark. I had twice requested a committee to be formed which should necessarily include Mr. Ardeshir Cowasjee, Ms. Yasmeen Lari and Engineer Dsouza as members who should go to the site, take random soil specimens for laboratory testing to know if the stomach of be soil was too defective that it eats money so much without any good physical health.
Though I raised this proposal in writing but never got any progress on this point. When Ehtisab Bureau was established someone filed a complaint with it on this housing scheme. I came to know about it only through a newspaper item. For many years I repeatedly requested Ehtisab Bureau, Ministry of Overseas Pakistanis, OPF etc to help me in getting a copy of said complaint filed by someone so that nature of its contents could be know and if contents are of interest for all allottees I may also file a similar one. When the present government allowed freedom and access to information I tried again. But all these years despite my repeated requests I never got any response from anyone.
Four years back I last visited the site in August. It was too hard even to breath on the site due to filth, burning waste, smoke and dirt. The KDA site office comprising two three rooms as usual had broken glasses and peeping through broken windows it appeared if since years no one had come into the office. However the Advertisement Board of an Boulton Market Estate Agent who is always ready to buy plots of this scheme was shining as good as on my visit every two three years I saw. I went to a nearby office of Malir River Development Project (exact name I do not remember now). The officials there told me they had never seen this KDA site office ever open. There were three four constructed structures housing animal feed trade. On my enquiry how they were doing this business here they told concerned KDA staff has never objected it.
OPF never took any remotest interest in the matter. When I addressed here and there about three four years back I got a response that OPF official visited the KDA and discussed the development. I do not remember the exact words but if old age is not misguiding me the OPF was just a little short conveying me that they discussed the matter with KDA and were satisfied with the development. However only after about 6-8 month later some visiting the site with some Action Committee of the Mehran Town the same OPF agreed that the site was not worth living for human beings and that it should be converted into small industrial estate. Since no one has any interest with this forgotten story hence no body ever practically cared for it. I have stopped seeing KDA budget but I think for some years in the past there was no budget fixed for this scheme. I am afraid this scheme is deliberately being neglected. One day the allottees will find it in hands of some one else. Similarly as General Ziaul Haq gave a good portion of it to some other society despite knowing the land was already allotted to Overseas Pakistanis. How much is this scheme neglected can be judged from one aspect only namely that senior columnist Mr. Irshad Ahmad Haqqani twice gave his full columns space explaining sufferings and showing his real sympathies for allottees of this scheme. Again if my old age is not fooling me on reading his column some Minister or a Secretary same evening visited his residence and promised to take care of the mater. But who cares.