In 2002, the property was vacated and it was auctioned in 2005 for a car parking to save it from encroachers. PHOTO: PPI/FILE
Pakistan Railways is trying to convert them into commercial plots in alleged violation of the civic laws. The Rs30-million case was filed by Korangi residents against the Pakistan Railways secretary, the chief executive officer of Cantonment Board Clifton, the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation and other authorities for attempting to commercialise an amenity plot.
The plaintiffs, including Rehmatullah, Shahid Farooq, Muhammad Sajjad Haider and Sakhi Sultan, said that Pakistan Railways owns a large piece of land, comprising three plots, in D-Area on main Korangi Road near Mehmoodabad that has been designated as amenity property for the sole purpose of a parking plaza.
In 2002, the property was vacated and it was auctioned in 2005 for a parking plaza to save it from encroachers. While attempts were made to commercialise the plot, they were foiled through litigation.
On March 30, Pakistan Railways published a public notice that the land will be auctioned as a commercial plot in the coming few days, the petitioners said. The Korangi residents’ lawyer, Naeemur Rehman, argued that this conversion of the amenity land into a commercial one is against the law.
He pleaded the court to declare that the piece of land has been earmarked for amenity purposes and cannot be converted into commercial property. Therefore, the respondents must be restrained from such conversions, he added.
Headed by Justice Munib Akhtar, the bench issued notices to the respondents as well as the federal and provincial authorities to file their comments by May 6. Meanwhile, it ordered the parties to maintain the status quo in respect of the public notice till the next date of hearing.
Published in The Express Tribune, April 16th, 2014.
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