CJP directs federal, provincial govts to jointly review matter of encroachment

KARACHI: Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Justice Mian Saqib Nisar on Tuesday directed the federal and provincial government to jointly review the matter illegal encroachments in the mega city.

A three-member bench at the apex court Karachi Registry headed by CJP was hearing a review petition filed by Sindh Government against massive encroachment operation in Karachi.

A citizen complained against Pakistan Peoples’ Party (PPP) leader Awais Muzafar alias Tapi and told the court that there are huge encroachments in Shah Latif Town. He said widows whose plots are occupied are crying and these encroachments have been carried out by Tapi.

On which, the CJP remarked that who is Tapi? Where is Tapi? Produce him tomorrow before the court.

The CJP remarked that he had ordered for making Empress Market a model place, while operation against encroachment has been started by Mayor Karachi Waseem Akhtar.

During the hearings of review petition against encroachment, the CJP said we had not given orders for demolishing houses, but there were apparent orders for getting footpaths and roads cleared from encroachments.

There CJP remarked that here people have occupied government buildings. He asked did illegal occupiers leave, when we has ordered for vacating the government buildings. He said if people start protesting should we end the writ of state?

Advocate General Salman Talib pleaded the apex court that Mayor Karachi was speedily demolishing encroachments and he should be stopped for four weeks from this operation. He sought four weeks time from CJP and said that they will ensure a solution to the matter in four weeks.

However, the CJP remarked that why we should stop the Mayor from this operation? You all should decide jointly. He said law is being implementing and you and federal government have a problem with that. Do you not know that the Mayor Karachi has put his political career on stake? We want supremacy of law at all costs.

The CJP said there are many problems in Karachi. Here people have occupied government buildings. He said when these people were being evicted the Sindh governor phoned me and said that law and order situation in Karachi would deteriorate if operation against them continues.

He said that do we bow our head before this encroachment mafia and leave Karachi on its own fate? If you think that that we will stop operation against encroachments then it is impossible. He said the restoration of affected people and providing them alternate shelter is responsibility of the government.

However, the Mayor Karachi appeared before the court and submitted that they were following the court orders. He said the houses should not be demolished.

The CJP remarked he had not given orders for demolishing houses. If you are doing it yourself then it is your problem.

He asked that he saw a building constructed over a Nulla, what about that?

Sindh Building Control Authority (SBCA) told the court that there was building on a drain Nullah.

The Mayor told the court that there is a building in Bagh-e-Ibne Qasim, which is manned by some armed men in building and that matter is in the High Court.

The CJP remarked that you have not been stopped, continue inquiry about who is the occupier and tell the court.

He said we will seek file from Sindh High Court. He directed the Mayor that illegal buildings and encroachments would not be tolerated at any cost.

CJP also asked the mayor that even if any minister of government has occupied any property it should be recovered from him.