Illegal occupants in Karachi: SC directs to get governments' residences vacated

The apex court on Thursday directed the relevant authorities to get back the federal and provincial governments' residences which are illegally occupied. The director general Rangers, inspector general of Sindh Police, and Housing Ministry were ordered to assist the authorities who have launched operation against illegal occupation. The AGPR was directed to receive the amount which is payable by the occupants.
A three-judge bench, headed by Chief Justice Mian Saqib Nisar, heard the suo motu in the irregularities in allotment of the official residences by the federal and the provincial governments. The additional attorney general informed the court that in Karachi 4,268 government houses have been occupied by the retired government employees. The Chief Justice inquired how many houses in Islamabad are illegal occupied and how many have been vacated.
The secretary Ministry of Housing informed that there were 563 houses under unauthorized persons, but they got back the possession of 386 government houses. The Chief Justice inquired when the other houses would be retrieved. The secretary replied that the operation is going on and every day 7 to 8 houses are being vacated. He informed that still 49 cases are pending in the Islamabad High Court.
The Chief Justice asked him to provide the list of those cases so that they could pass order for the IHC to decide the matter within specified time. The AAG informed that in Karachi Rs3.5 billion are payable by the illegal occupants living in government houses.
He said without security cover, the houses could not be vacated. The court directed DG Rangers, IGP Sindh and the Housing Ministry to assist the authorities, while AGPR was asked to deduct the amount from the pension or salary payable by the illegal occupants.