Hundreds of affectees of Eden Housing Society held a protest demonstration in front of Prime Minister Imran Khan’s residence on his arrival to Lahore for getting justice, which later turned into a sit-in on Sunday.
Eden Housing Developers has been blamed for looting more than Rs 13 billion on the name of property selling and purchasing from 10,000 families in the last 10 years.
Meanwhile, angry protesters called off its sit-in after a daylong protest on the assurance given by Deputy Commissioner Lahore Anwarul Haq that their demands will be fulfilled as soon as possible. DC Lahore has invited protesters to his office today (Monday) for presenting their case in front of high officials and assured them that Lahore Development Authority director general and National Accountability Bureau’s (NAB) and other concerned officials will be there as well.
A group of around 180-230 people including men, women and children appeared outside PM Imran Khan’s residence in Zaman Park on Canal Road on Sunday and started to record their protest. They were carrying banners and placards in their hands in favour of their demands. The police also intervened at one point which resulted in scuffles and manhandling.
A massive traffic jam was observed on both sides of Canal Road due owing to the protest while traffic wardens remained busy in trying to maintain the flow of traffic on the roads.
On the occasion, the protesters chanted slogans against NAB and the previous government of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz for creating problems in the line of justice. They demanded Imran Khan to take suo motu action on this issue.
A group of affectees while talking exclusively to Daily Times said that “we are tired of approaching different forums for getting justice as the outcome remains zero”.
They expressed their distrust on NAB’s proceedings against the accused and claimed that the owner of Eden Housing Society Dr Amjad is a relative of former chief justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhary who is using his influence. They complained that NAB did not arrest any official of Eden Housing management in this case and also did not forward their complaints to the Interior Ministry to place the accused names oin the Exit Control List. They further said that the management grabbed the amount of their plots but did not provide possession to them for nine years. They demanded the government to bring back Dr Amjad and his sons to Pakistan though Interpol and provide justice to them.
Published in Daily Times, September 24th 2018.