DHA, CBC served notices in encroachment case

Petitioners want buildings on storm water drains in posh localities demolished

KARACHI:

Like the Orangi and Gujjar nullahs, encroachment on seasonal stream and storm drain in posh localities like Defence Housing Authority (DHA) and Clifton should be demolished too, pleaded a petition moved by over a hundred citizens before the top court of the province.

Hearing the plea pertaining to the appalling state of sewerage and rain water disposal in DHA and Clifton areas, the Sindh High Court issued notices on Monday to the DHA, Cantonment Board Clifton and other parties.

A two-member bench comprising Justice Muhammad Shafi Siddiqui and Justice Agha Faisal conducted the hearing.

The petitioners' counsel maintained that encroachments built on Mehmoodabad drain were not razed and the demolishing operation was only carried out on the slum settlements along the drain.

He contended that the big buildings located in the jurisdiction of DHA were not demolished. The counsel pointed at such encroachments in Khayaban-e-Jami, Gizri Creek and several other areas of DHA and CBC. Besides, he argued, a private university of the DHA and several other installations of the authority are built on the drain.

Read More: SC orders commencement of anti-encroachment drive along Gujjar, Orangi nullah

He appealed to the court to direct the removal of encroachments on drains in DHA and Clifton as the same has been ordered in the rest of the city.

The bench issued notices to the relevant authorities seeking their replies. Besides, it sought a report on the cleaning of storm water drains and sewerage mechanism in the city.

Durrani's bail plea

Another two-member bench comprising Justice Muhammad Ali Mazhar and Justice Muhammad Iqbal Kalhoro directed the accused in the assets beyond means case against Sindh Assembly Speaker Agha Siraj Durrani to cooperate with the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) in its inquiry.

The bench was hearing bail pleas filed by Durrani and other accused.

During the hearing the NAB prosecutor maintained that accused, Muhammad Chachar Ghulam Murtuza and others, were not cooperating in the investigation. There is evidence of corruption and the lack of cooperation by the accused was hindering the investigation, he argued.

The court directed the accused to cooperate with NAB and adjourned the hearing till August 2.

According to NAB, the reference against the prime accused has been filed and the accused have challenged a call-up notice issued by the anti-graft watchdog before the court.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 20^th, 2021.