SC seeks alternate housing plan for Gujjar, Orangi nullah affectees

(Karachi) The Supreme Court (SC) has rejected the federal government's plea to halt the demolition drive along Gujjar and Orangi nullahs and directed the authorities to find another housing arrangement for the affectees, local media reported on Wednesday.

The top court bench, headed by Chief Justice Gulzar Ahmed, issued the order while hearing a case pertaining to an anti-encroachment drive in the city at the Supreme Court Karachi Registry.

During proceedings of the case, the SC asked the Sindh government about the plan to resettle the affectees.

At this, the attorney general told the court that if the demolition drive continues along Gujjar and Orangi nullahs, at least 40,000 people would be displaced.

He said that leased housing units should not be demolished unless an alternate arrangement is made for the affectees. The attorney general requested the SC to halt the demolition drive until the next hearing of the case.

However, the apex court rejected the plea and directed the authorities to continue with their action against encroachments along the Gujjar and Orangi nullahs.

On June 15, the SC issued a written order in the case, directing the authorities to compensate the affectees of Gujjar and Orangi Nullahs.

The apex court directed the authorities to complete the expansion work of the nullahs and annulled all stay orders issued against it from tribunals and Sindh High Court.

The NDMA and Sindh government should continue their work, the court directed while further ordering the authorities to compensate the affectees as per law.