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KARACHI:
The Supreme Court ordered on Thursday the removal of encroachments from the front of all private and state-owned buildings within three days.
The order came during the hearing of a petition by the affectees of the Karachi Circular Railway (KCR). The case was heard by Chief Justice of Pakistan Qazi Faez Isa at the apex court’s Karachi Registry.
The chief justice also ordered the relevant authorities to look into the matter brought forth by the affectees.
Expressing displeasure on illegal encroachments and denial of public space to the citizens, the chief justice said the Rangers headquarters, Naval headquarters Governor House and the Chief Minister House have all denied footpaths to the citizenry through illegally encroaching on public spaces.
Justice Isa said to the advocate general that the punishment for government institutions encroaching on public land should be greater, to which the additional attorney general cited “security issues” as the reason behind the encroachments.
The CJP also asked under which law was Jinnah Courts handed over to the Rangers. “The houses of the poor were demolished, but these encroachments remain.”
He further stated that he has asked his security not to secure routes for him and has warned the provincial top cops that violation of the order will result in contempt proceedings.
Following the remarks, the chief justice ordered the removal of all encroachments from outside public and private buildings within three days and also instructed for a report to be submitted.
Read Road encroachments block traffic
The apex court also deemed the obstruction of free movement and blocking of roads “illegal”. He also instructed the Rangers to “clear roads coming under the jurisdiction of the KMC”.
The SC further ordered to replant trees on the sidewalks for the people and in those areas they were removed.
Earlier, the Sindh High Court (SHC) directed the Nazir to conduct an inspection and submit a comprehensive report, including photographs, within seven days in response to a petition seeking the removal of encroachment along the M9 Superhighway, spanning from Al Asif Square to Toll Plaza.
A two-member bench, led by Justice Nadeem Akhtar, presided over the hearing. The petitioner’s counsel contested the accuracy and credibility of the East District Deputy Commissioner’s (DC) report, claiming it misrepresented the removal of encroachments around Al Asif Square.
The DC East, in the report, asserted that encroachments had been eliminated from Jamali Bridge to Badshah Hotel, and both sides of the stretch from Al Asif Square to Habib Hotel were cleared. An ongoing anti-encroachment campaign was also highlighted.
The administrative head of the East district informed the court that individuals displaced by the 2022 floods initially resided in relief camps near M9 Toll Plaza but later established shanty towns in the city. The DC stated that these individuals have been evicted.
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