Slum growth : Develop low-income housing or ban private schemes, SC warns

ISLAMABAD:

The apex court has warned that it may impose a ban on the development of private housing schemes if steps are not taken to provide low-income housing.

The court also gave the federal and provincial governments two months to formulate laws regarding the development of affordable housing projects.

The bench — Justice Dost Muhammad Khan and Justice Qazi Faez Isa — also asked the governments to constitute a commission of housing and slum experts such as Tasneem Siddiqui and Arif Hasan to oversee the drafting of such legislation and to make suggestions for proper implementation.

“We are giving a last chance to the federal and provincial governments to take effective measures for the provision of shelter to low-income and homeless people… or we will take stern action,” said the bench, which is hearing petitions against the Capital Development Authority and the police regarding a slum in Sector I-11.

The court also took strong notice of the absence of law officers from Punjab and Sindh, issuing show cause notices to both provincial advocate generals.

The bench noted that their earlier directions regarding the formulation of policy for low-income housing have been ignored by CDA and provincial governments.

The court observed that failure to create low-income housing directly contributed to the establishment and growth of slums, which in turn pose a potential security threat.

The court said that Pakistan itself had floated a bill at an international forum for providing shelter to the poor, and that the bill was unanimously approved by all other members.

During the hearing, Justice Isa noted that slums are now a reality and the government has to recognise them, adding that the governments has been unable to collect data on slums in the country.

Justice Khan said that if the CDA had allocated five-to-ten per cent of land for low-income housing, katchi abadis would never have risen.

Justice Khan also lamented that the court has been issuing orders since August last year, but the authorities are not taking them seriously.

Abid Hassan Minto, counsel for applicants, stated that the court is giving directions to the governments and CDA about their constitutional responsibilities, but the orders were not being implemented.

Additional Attorney General Amir Rehman admitted before the bench that no law exists regarding the creation of low-income housing.

The hearing was later adjourned for two months.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 12^th,  2016