SHC orders removal of all billboards in Karachi

Policy of demolishing billboards as per the order of the SC was clear, the petition contends

KARACHI:

The Sindh High Court (SHC) on Friday ordered the implementation of an earlier Supreme Court (SC) order on the removal of all billboards from Karachi.

The SC had earlier directed the authorities to take action against officials involved in permitting advertisements on billboards, further ordering Karachi Commissioner Iftikhar Ali Shalllwani to remove hoardings from private properties.

The SHC heard a petition against the removal of billboards in the city and then disposed of the petition ordering the relevant authorities to take down billboards from all government buildings.

The court also directed all cantonment boards and the private sector to implement the apex court’s orders.

During the proceedings, the petitioner's counsel argued that billboards were still installed in many places and the city administration should act on the orders of the SC.

The court remarked that “if the orders of the Supreme Court are being violated, then you should approach the Supreme Court. We can only bind [authorities] to follow its order”.

The court further added that authorities would review the billboards' proximity before removing them.

The petition to remove billboards from the city contended that the policy of demolishing billboards as per the order of the SC was clear, however, the authorities are not even removing the 'sticker-like' advertisements from the walls.

On August 12, a three-member bench, headed by the Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Justice Gulzar Ahmed and comprising Justice Faisal Arab and Justice Ijazul Ahsan, had heard the case pertaining to billboards in Karachi.

Shallwani had informed the court that they had removed at least 300 billboards from the city.

The CJP remarked that advertisements on television were enough and no advertisements should be present on the roads.