SHC seeks details of compensation, resettlement plan

The Sindh High Court sought on Friday details from the provincial chief secretary and Karachi commissioner about the resettlement plan and policy for the payment of compensation to persons affected by demolition drives along Gujjar and Orangi nullahs.

The details were sought after a two-member bench, comprising Justice Hasan Azhar Rizvi and Justice Rashida Asad, was informed by the relevant deputy commissioner that Rs15,000 were to paid to each affected resident as rent for alternative accommodations for a period of two years.

"By that time, the Naya Pakistan Housing Scheme will be inaugurated by the federal government and the affected residents will be provided accommodation there on priority basis," he said.

At that, the court pointed out that Rs15,000 were insufficient to meet the affected persons' needs, and inquired who had leased the land to the residents along the nullahs.

Read: PM Imran inaugurates another housing project for the underprivileged

"The land was leased by the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation's (KMC's) katchi abadis department," the deputy commissioner told the court.

This led to the court making the observation that while the KMC's katchi abadis department was a government institution, the officials had leased out the land to secure votes for various political personalities.

The counsel's petitioner then moved the court to direct the relevant authorities to t suspend demolition drives along the two nullahs until the government issued a clear policy on the removal of encroachments, resettlement of affected residents and the payment of compensation to them.

"The court cannot do so," remarked Justice Rizvi, and sought details from the Sindh chief minister and Karachi commissioner on the policy for the payment of compensation to persons affected by the demolitions and the provision of alternative accommodation to them.

The respondents have been directed to submit the details on May 7, also clarifying whether a policy had been devised by the Sindh government in the first place.

CCI meeting

The same bench sought arguments from the counsel for the petitioner on the maintainability of the plea moving the court to direct Prime Minister Imran Khan to convene a meeting of the Council of Common Interests (CCI).

At the hearing, the petitioner, Mehmood Akhtar Naqvi, contended that public issues remained unaddressed as CCI meetings were not being called.

But this is a constitutional matter, the court remarked following Naqvi's argument.

Following that, the deputy attorney general challenged the maintainability of the plea on grounds that a meeting of the CCI was held a short while ago. At that, the petitioner sought time from the court to prove his claim that the PM had not called a single CCI meeting since assuming the premier's office.

"The issues of provinces will be resolved if the CCI meeting is called," he maintained.

Seeking arguments from Naqvi on the maintainability of the plea, the court adjourned the hearing until May 25.

Read more: PM tells SBP, NBP to ease housing loan process

Verdict reserved

Separately, a bench comprising Justice Hasan Hasan Azhar Rizvi and Justice Rashida Asad reserved the verdict on a plea seeking an extension in the contract awarded for facilities at Aladin Park.

At the hearing, the counsel for the KMC contended that it was not possible to float a tender for the new contract until the existing contract was terminated.

The court, however, remarked that the tender should be floated, and inquired under which law the tenders were issued.

When the counsel replied that tenders were issued under the Sindh Local Government Act, the court noted that every government made amendments in the law.

Following that, the court barred the relevant authorities from abrogating the contract awarded currently, reserved the verdict on the plea and adjourned the hearing.