KARACHI: Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) has failed to eliminate encroachments in 89 cemeteries which fall in its administrative control.
In addition to these 89 cemeteries, KMC is the custodian of graveyards in precincts of Defence Authority, six Cantonment Boards, Karachi Port Trust, Civil Aviation Authority of Pakistan, Navy, Air Force, Army, Steel Mill, different housing societies and welfare bodies in different parts of West, East, Central and South district. Out of graveyards of four of the city’s districts, 51 of them are registered while 38 are providing public services without any registration from KMC.
In addition, 117 graveyards are serving city’s population for their ritual rights under control of different social welfare organisations and communities. Almost 95 percent of these cemeteries have been encroached by different elements and private parties which are running shrines inside these graveyards without any approval and official permission. In addition to that, nineteen of the city’s Christian cemeteries and a shamshan gath have also been occupied by land grabbers and other elements. Nearly 1,100 mazaars or shrines have been built by different communities in various cemeteries of Central and West districts. Reportedly, ‘Urs’ are held in some of these shrines every year. Moreover, grave diggers have built houses in these graveyards and a number of them are being controlled by drug peddlers.
Meanwhile, Local Government Department minister issued directives for removal of encroachments from Moach Goth graveyard after the residents complained about the encroachments and failure of KMC in vacating the cemetery of encroachments. According to details, KMC would be provided with required machinery to raze encroachments from the graveyard. The corporation wrote a letter on September 27 requesting a squad for removal of encroachments from this graveyard on October 9. Consequently, three dumpers, a loader and an excavator were provided to the corporation.
It is pertinent to mention that Board of Revenue has not allotted any land for graveyards in the last thirty years. No master plan has been prepared to cater to an ever-growing city with an estimated demand of 9,000 graves per year. However, by-laws were made for registration of number of gravediggers, gardeners and other staff at every graveyard. Record book for registration of deceased person with details and prescribed fee for a grave were covered by the by-laws.
There is only one cemetery of Jews that exists at Mewa Shah Graveyard and it is being maintained without KMC registration. Same is the case with Vadia Hussain graveyard on Super Highway. Edhi Trust graveyard on Hub River Road is also not listed on official record of KMC.
Sindh Building Control Authority (SBCA) has yet to prepare plans for graveyards in city.
According to by-laws, there is a complete ban on burial in houses, open places, public places, masajids and public known places, KMC official maintained. There is also ban on exhuming of bodies by any private of government official until and unless it is inevitable to do such an act for examination of body on orders of court of law and in presence of judicial member of government, according to laid down laws in graveyard affairs document of KMC.
Now on directive of Karachi mayor Waseem Akhtar, relevant department of the entity has written letters to Commissioner, deputies and additional deputies to take appropriate measures in order to implement by-laws on graveyard staff members. Mayor directed graveyard department to submit its proposals for bringing improvement in existing KMC graveyards in city and to streamline functions of this departmentHe said that help would also be sought from police and Rangers in order to stop ‘illegal activities’ in graveyards.
No action has been taken against graveyards staff demolishing old graves for fresh burials on higher rates. Tariq Road, Sakhi Hasan, Paposh Nagar, Liaquatabad, Masoom Shah, Muhammad Shah, Qayyumabad, Mewa Shah, Kamosh Colony, Qasba and many other graveyards are busy in violating KMC by laws. Self-proclaimed administrators, land mafias and encroachers are involved in occupying land and plotting under china-cutting, according to KMC officials.
Graveyards director Iqbal Pervez said that KMC by-laws should be implemented in all cemeteries. “We have no proper details of burials in number on daily basis and number of staff working in graveyards”, he complained. KMC officials informed that there graveyards have been planned one near Surjani sector-16 and two on National Highway. They said that PC-I has been completed and work has also been started for development of these graveyards.
Published in Daily Times, December 13th 2018.