SHC suspends compensation order for Rs31m

KARACHI:  A division bench of the Sindh High Court suspended on Tuesday a single judge’s order in which the City District Government Karachi was directed to deposit over Rs30 million with the nazir of the court in compensation for acquired lands in Karachi.

EDO (Revenue) challenged the order passed on June 4, 2010 on a suit filed by seven private respondents. He submitted that the government acquired over 87 acres of garden and agricultural land of the father of the respondent Dilawar Hussain in 1960 and the collector awarded compensation, but they said it was insufficient.

The respondents filed for the amount to be increased. The nazir assessed the compensation to be Rs31,360,745 on the Supreme Court’s orders.

The CDGK’s counsel Manzoor Ahmed submitted that the respondents approached the SHC for the execution of the decree. He contended that he wanted to file objections to the report, but the judge had, without giving him an opportunity to explain his position, directed the CDGK to deposit the Rs31,360,745 with the court. He prayed the court to set aside the impugned judgment and pass a fresh order.

The operation of the impugned order was suspended till the next hearing.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 7th, 2010.