No ‘katcha’ houses to be demolished in winters: CM Murad

Murad Ali Shah requests SHC to stop judges from ordering their demolition

KARACHI: Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah prohibited divisional commissioners and deputy commissioners from bulldozing katcha houses or cottages during the on-going winter season, warning them of strict action against them if they did so.

In a meeting on Saturday, Shah said that the provincial cabinet had decided that no katcha houses should be flattened during the chilly winter. He mentioned that the Supreme Court had ordered the removal of encroachments along the roads, footpaths, and nullahs. "But the district administration has started bulldozing katcha houses along the embankments of the canals, leaving the residents and their children under the open skies," he stated. "This is an inhumane act and will not be tolerated."

The chief minister added that he would not mind the razing of bungalows built on encroached land, but he would not tolerate the bulldozing of katcha houses or cottages.

He revealed that based on his instructions, the Sindh Advocate-General had met the Chief Justice of the Sindh High Court and requested him to stop district and sessions judges from ordering the razing of katcha houses.

The Karachi commissioner and deputy commissioners of the city were present during the meeting, while the commissioners and deputy commissioners of other divisions and districts of the province were present via video links.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 12^th, 2020.