DHA to start operation against illegal security tents from January 1

Authority sent notices to more than 100 residents seeking removal of security camps outside their houses

KARACHI: Defence Housing Authority (DHA) is going to launch an operation against 'unauthorised' security camps established outside residences from January 1, officials informed the Supreme Court (SC) on Wednesday.

This was stated in a report filed by the DHA administration to a two-judge bench, which was hearing an application filed by a former SC judge, Deedar Hussain Shah, against the removal of a security camp from outside his residence.

A two-judge bench, comprising justices Amir Hani Muslim and Mushir Alam, was hearing the application at the SC's Karachi Registry.



Shah had alleged that the DHA administration had allowed security camps outside the residences of politicians, high-profile officials and personalities. However, the same outside his residence was removed without any justification, he had alleged.

During the previous hearings, the apex court had observed that there should be a uniform policy regarding the setting up of security camps outside residences in the DHA. Therefore, it had directed the DHA management to submit a uniform policy in this regard. On November 23, this year, the DHA management had assured the court that all the illegal security camps set up outside residences in the area will be removed 'indiscriminately' under a uniform policy.

It had further disclosed that more than 150 such security camps have been set-up outside the residences within its territorial limits, which are all illegal. The authority had maintained that action against such illegal security camps will be initiated under Rule 33 of the Sindh Building Control Regulations.



The apex court had given 15 days time to the DHA management to get all these illegal security camps removed from outside the residences without any discrimination. It had further observed that all the residents, including former legislators, ministers, judges, traders and others, should be treated equally during the action against the illegal security camps.

During Wednesday's proceedings, the DHA officer appeared with a report regarding compliance of the court's November 23 order.

They said notices had been sent to more than 100 residents, asking them to remove those security camps, which had been established in 'an illegal and unauthorised manner', outside their residences. They said that the residents had been given time till January 1 for doing so.



They added that the management will launch an operation against such illegal security camps upon the expiry of the deadline. The bench directed them to ensure all such camps set-up in an illegal and unauthorised manner are removed without any discrimination during the operation. A compliance report was also sought.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 29^th, 2016.