Lack of official documents, basic services and rehabilitation policies worsens the calamity
Village Mailsi. Photo: Courtesy of YouTube
MAILSI:
The nomadic settlements scattered across Tehsil Mailsi have increasingly taken the form of a neglected humanitarian, social and security crisis, sparking concern in social circles who say continued state inattention has allowed the situation to worsen and now demands urgent intervention from higher authorities.
Like many areas of Punjab, Mailsi is home to a large population of nomadic families living in makeshift huts along roads, railway lines and near residential areas. However, neither district administrations nor other government departments have verified data on their exact numbers, their identities or their living conditions.
The lack of a clear policy regarding their registration, rehabilitation or social integration has allowed the problem to fester unchecked.
In Mailsi Town alone, nomadic families can be found near the railway station, Model Town, Jamal Town and Dauraha areas.
Similar settlements exist in surrounding localities, including Adda Nohail, Dokota, Adda Lal Sagu, Tibba Sultanpur, Garha Mor and other areas, where families live in temporary huts near highways, junctions and populated neighborhoods.
Unofficial estimates suggest that the number of nomadic individuals in the tehsil could reach several thousand, although constant migration and a lack of official registration make precise figures impossible.
A major concern is the almost total absence of legal identity within these communities.
Most families do not have national identity cards, which deprives them of access to education, health care, social protection schemes and financial assistance programs, including the Benazir income support program.
Lack of documentation also prevents many people from benefiting from public health initiatives such as polio, measles and rubella vaccination campaigns, further exacerbating health risks.
Social workers, including Haji Muhammad Bilal, Chaudhry Ataul Muhyuddin Gujar, Chaudhry Akbar Ali and Muhammad Usman Akram, say food insecurity is widespread among nomadic families.
Most do not have access to balanced and nutritious meals and often rely on leftover food from weddings, parties and public gatherings.
As a result, children, women and the elderly suffer from malnutrition, chronic diseases and poor physical development.
Experts warn that persistent nutritional deprivation contributes to educational delay, drug addiction and broader social decay within these communities.
Living conditions deteriorate further during extreme weather conditions.
The huts, usually made of grass, cloth and plastic sheeting, offer little protection from seasonal changes.
