KARACHI (TLTP): The Supreme Court on Wednesday declined the federation’s plea to grant a week time to initiate anti-encroachment drive in Karachi and sought details from the people at the helm of affairs about what alternative arrangements they have planned to shift approximately 40,0000 affected dwellers of Gujjar and Orangi nullahs.
A three-member bench of the Chief Justice Gulzar Ahmed, Justice Ijazul Ahsan and Justice Qazi Muhammad Amin Ahmed sought the report as the bench is hearing cases in Karachi Registry during current week.
Appearing before the bench, Attorney General for Pakistan expressed reservations saying a human catastrophe is feared as many as 40,000 people would be displaced owing to the demolition drive at both the nullahs. “We request you to halt the demolition drive until the next hearing of the case or at least stop it for the next week,” he said adding that leased housing units should not be demolished unless an alternate arrangement is made for the affectees.
However, the Chief Justice observed while addressing the AGP, “What is the plan of the Sindh government to resettle the affectees,”.
Upon which the AGP submitted that after deliberations with the NDMA and Sindh Chief Minister the issue of affectees may be resolved on priority basis, However, the top court rejected the plea and directed the authorities to continue with their action against encroachments alongside the Gujjar and Orangi nullahs.
It is pertinent to mention that the top court earlier on Tuesday said in its written order in an anti-encroachment case that the concerned authorities shall compensate the affectees of Gujjar and Orangi Nullahs. The court has also vacated all the stay orders of subordinate and Sindh High Court which were granted to stop the operation against encroachments directing the concerned authorities to complete the expansion work of the Gujjar and Orangi nullahs.
While issuing directives to the NDMA and Sindh government the court asked them to continue the anti-encroachment drive amid asking the authorities to compensate the affectees as per law. The court has also issued directives to recover the land of Kidney Hill Park within two days. “Illegal construction should be demolished from the amenity plot and be converted into a park,” the court said in its order.
