Absence of official records, basic services, rehabilitation policies deepens the disaster
Mailsi village. Photo: Courtesy of YouTube
MAILS:
Nomadic settlements scattered across Tehsil Mailsi have increasingly taken the form of a neglected humanitarian, social and security crisis, drawing concern from social circles who say continued government inattention has allowed the situation to worsen and now calls for urgent intervention from higher authorities.
Like many parts of Punjab, Mailsi hosts a large population of nomadic families living in makeshift huts along roadsides, railway tracks and close to residential areas. However, neither district administrations nor other public authorities have verified data on their exact number, identity or living conditions.
The absence of any clear policy for their registration, rehabilitation or social integration has allowed the problem to grow unchecked.
In Mailsi town alone, nomadic families can be found near the railway station, Model Town, Jamal Town and Dauraha areas.
Similar settlements are found 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 neighbourhoods.
Unofficial estimates suggest that the number of nomadic individuals in the tehsil may run into the thousands, although constant migration and lack of official registration make exact numbers impossible.
A major concern is the almost total absence of legal identity among these communities.
Most families do not hold national identity cards, depriving them of access to education, health care, social protection schemes and financial assistance programs, including Benazir’s income support program.
The lack of documentation also prevents many from taking advantage of 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 lack access to balanced and nutritious meals and often rely on leftovers from weddings, parties and public gatherings.
As a result, children, women and elderly individuals suffer from malnutrition, chronic disease and poor physical development.
Experts warn that persistent nutritional deprivation contributes to educational backwardness, substance abuse and wider social decay in these communities.
Living conditions deteriorate further during extreme weather.
The huts, typically made of grass, cloth and plastic sheeting, offer little protection against seasonal changes.
