Police directed to provide backup to KMC teams

SHC gives till Nov 3 to remove unauthorised taxi, rickshaw stands in Gulshan-e-Iqbal block 3

KARACHI: The Sindh High Court (SHC) has ordered the Sindh IG and East Traffic SSP to provide backup support to Karachi Metropolitan Corporation's (KMC) anti-encroachment cell during its drive against illegal taxi and rickshaw stands in Gulshan-e-Iqbal.

A two-judge bench, headed by Justice Nadeem Akhtar, issued this direction on Friday while hearing a case regarding illegal encroachments in block 3 of Gulshan-e-Iqbal. Muhammad Faheem Sharif Gabol, a resident of the area, had approached the court seeking removal of unauthorised shops and stands from the locality.

The petitioner said that the main road in the area had been encroached by private individuals, who had set-up stalls, as well as taxi and rickshaw stands, which were causing problems for the residents. He added that traffic jams on the road had become a routine matter because encroachments had reduced space and the residents cannot even walk. Gabol had pleaded the court to order the IG, East Traffic SSP, Mobina Town SHO, Traffic DIG and the KMC administrator to clear the area of such unauthorised structures.

During Friday's proceedings, reports were filed by the East Traffic SSP and Mobina Town SHO, which were taken on record. In the report, the SSP said that his force was responsible for regulating traffic on the road, while removing encroachments was not their job. He maintained that from January till September this year, the traffic police had impounded 109 rickshaws and taxis over illegal parking.

Agreeing with his stance, the petitioner said the vendors have set up shop with no authorisation, while rampant cabins and stands for taxis and rickshaws pose questions over the performance of the KMC's anti-encroachment cell. He sought a direction for the anti-encroachment cell's director to take action against such unauthorised structures at the earliest.

The bench also took on record a compliance report filed by the KMC's law officer, in which the relevant officials claimed that the road in question had been cleared of any hindrance. Contesting such claim, Gabol pointed out that a large number of vending stalls, cabins and taxi stands had not been removed as yet.

The judges directed the IG and traffic SSP to provide backup support to KMC staff during action against such encroachments, which should be removed by November 3. They also sought compliance reports from the top cop and the traffic police officer, as well as anti-encroachment cell's director by the next hearing.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 16^th, 2016.