The Supreme Court (SC) ordered on Monday to remove all the encroachments on fake lease documents in Karachi, while also summoning Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah over the provincial government's failure in compensating the affectees of the demolition drive.

A three-member bench of the top court, headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Justice Gulzar Ahmed and comprising Justice Ijaz Ul Hassan and Justice Qazi Amin, took up the case at the SC Karachi registry regarding the removal of encroachments from Gujjar, Orangi, and Mehmoodabad nullahs in the port city, Radio Pakistan reported.

During the hearing, the SC came down hard on the Sindh government over the delay in the compensation to the affectees due to the demolition drive along Orangi and Gujjar nullahs.

When the attorney general could not satisfy the queries of the court, the CJP then summoned Sindh CM Shah.

Resettle Orangi, Gujjar nullah affectees in a year, SC directs Sindh govt

Meanwhile, the bench has ordered that all the houses and commercial constructions made on fake leases be demolished.

Last month, the SC had expressed annoyance over the delay in rehabilitating the affectees, saying that it is the responsibility of the provincial government to provide alternate housing facilities to the affected people.

The advocate general (AG) had told the court that the government has finalised 250 acres of land and more than 6,500 houses will be built on it. “The construction will begin once we get Rs10 billion from the Bahria Town funds,” he stated.

The chief justice instructed CM Shah to resettle the victims within a year and also summoned a report on it.

SC forms six benches to hear important cases

Meanwhile, the SC bench will hear several cases at the top court's Karachi registry from Monday (today) to Friday. The matters about Karachi Circular Railway, Kidney Hill Park, restoration of Aladdin Park are scheduled to be taken up by the top court.

The SC will also take up the matter pertaining to fatal accidents resulting from electrocution in the service territory of the K-Electric.