REHMANI
ASHFAQ
The Pakistani Christians were
outraged on desecration of Church and demolition of properties in Lahore. They
gathered on Alama Iqbbal Road in Garhi Shahu and staged protest in front of
bulldozed Christian property of “Gosha-e-Aman”. The Lahore Development Authority
LDA bulldozed a Catholic Church, School and Old Age House to grab valuable
property in Lahore without any court orders to please some PML (N)
parliamentarian who have eye on this land from years. PML (N) is ruling
party in populous Punjab province and National Assembly of Pakistan where
incidents of desecration of Churches and Christians graveyards is common
practice of fundamental Muslims in its rule. according to source, The
demolition team of LDA desecrated Holy Bibles and cups used in religious
rituals when bulldozed Church building and not allowed any Christian to safe
them. Surprised clergy and Catholic
Church laymen of city of Lahore, when a leading administration official was
supervising Lahore Development Authority LDA demolish team with heavy police
contingent to bulldoze “Gosha-e-Aman” means “Corner of Peace” established by
Catholic Church of Pakistan in 1887. There were poor families in
“Gosha-e-Aman” who were forced to leave property immediately and then LDA team
demolished Catholic School and adjacent houses for old persons. The news of demolition of “Gosha-e-Aman” spread like
fire among Christians of Lahore where Christians started gathering from nearby
colonies and lodged their protest. “Gosha-e-Aman” is situated in Garhi
Shahu area of Lahore where prices of land are sky high and two acre plot of
“Gosha-e-Aman” amounts to billions of Pakistani rupees in real estate property
now. The Pakistan Christian Post sources in Garhi Shahu revealed that one
Muslim businessman supporting ruling Pakistan PML (N) had an eyes on this
valuable Catholic Church plot who conspired not to extend lease of
“Gosha-e-Aman” which was supposed to automatically renewed after one hundred
years. The properties purchased in sub-continent of India were leased for
ownership for one hundred year according to Land Laws enforced by British
Colonial rulers which were supposed to be renewed automatically after
expiration without any fees or charges. The “Gosha-e-Aman” lease was not
automatically extended in 1987, which was purchased by Catholic Church in 1887,
denying Revenue laws inherited by British rulers in Pakistan. The centre,
Gosha-e-Aman, on Allama Iqbal Road, Garhi Shahu, was a property of the Catholic
Church. Father Emmanuel Yousuf Mani, the NCPJ national director, told to Media
that the demolished compound was home to three families and worth billions of
rupees. He said the property was registered as the Lahore Charitable
Association and was managed by CARITAS Pakistan.
Father Emmanuel said
litigation concerning the property was in court and a stay order had been
issued against its demolition. Father Emmanuel told to the “media door” that he
found District Coordination Officer with policemen and demolition machines when
he went to the centre in the morning. He said they demolished the building
despite his efforts to stop them. The Christian community representatives said
that the DCO informed them that the property had been transferred to the
government. They said the property was a Catholic Church property and could not
be transferred without permission. District coordination office representative,
told media that the land was declared state land by the district collector
in 2007. Since then, he said, the government representative had several times
notified the owners of the centre. He said if the Catholic Church claimed
that they owned the land, then they should present papers and court orders to
explain their position to the government.
The Catholic Church of
Pakistan filed a case in court of law which was ignored by Punjab government
and hurried to occupy this valuable property. Catholic Church has condemned the demolition of its
property by the LDA, terming it an illegal move of land grabbing by the
government functionaries. Gosha-e-Aman was run by a board of Catholic
Church and managed by CARITAS Pakistan. The institution is registered in the
name of Lahore Charitable Association and was established in 1887. The two-acre
property, worth billions of rupees, had a large compound that previously housed
a home for elderly people, a girls school, a convent and a Chapel (small
Church). The District Coordinating Officer was present to supervise the
demolition with heavy mechanical apparatus and a contingent of police. He
ordered a couple of families residing there to move out of the building and
started demolition of the property with bulldozers and other
machinery. When the reporters asked the DCO and other police officials
about the reason of the demolition, they said that the property had been
transferred to the Punjab government and had already served notices to vacate
the property since last year. Soon after the action of the LDA with cooperation
of the police, dozens of Christians gathered on the spot and protested against
the demolition. They were beating up themselves in protest and chanted slogans
against the PML-N government as well as its leadership. They also announced
that they would knock all the relevant doors against the possession of the
Christian property by government. They also alleged that during demolition of
their small church, the officials did not care about their holy
relics. Catholic Church, in its statement, claimed that demolition of
Christian property was an illegal act, which was supervised by the DCO while he
had no document to support his claim that the said property was transferred to
the provincial government. The church also said that the government had not
served any notice to the residents and the legal property holders (Lahore
Charitable Association). Many religious artifacts were also destroyed during
the demolition, it claimed. Fr Emmanuel, while addressing the media,
strongly condemned the demolition and demanded that the possession of the
property should be returned to its legal holders immediately and the losses
should be compensated. Referring to previous incidents of aggression against
religious minorities, specifically with the Christian Community at Shantinagar,
he said that the government should stop jeopardising the rights of the
religious minorities in Pakistan. He also showed legal papers of the property
and stay order issued by the Lahore High Court to the media.
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