The Supreme Court has ordered the Sindh government to submit a detailed report within six days on the operation to remove illegal occupation of the government lands of Sindh.
Justice Jamal Khan Mandokhel remarked that if your police is not capable, then abolish the department. Why should Rangers help with everything? What is the police for, the judge said admonishing land revenue officials while hearing a petition against encroachment on state land.
"The land grabbers have not even spared the cemeteries here, people have to buy land to bury their near and dear ones," he said pointing out that that the land mafia has occupied swathes of real estate in the metropolis and the original owners have been running from poll to post for decades to get possession of their properties.
A hearing was held in the Supreme Court Karachi Registry in front of a two-member bench headed by Justice Jamal Khan Mandukhail and Justice Syed Hasan Azhar Rizvi regarding the acquisition of government lands of Sindh and the computerisation of land records.
The Supreme Court was upset over the non-recovery of government lands. Justice Syed Hasan Azhar Rizvi remarked that illegal villages (goths) were established in Karachi under a planned conspiracy to usurp state and private lands.
Justice Rizvi said in a dialogue with Senior Member Land Utilisation that what steps were taken to end encroachment in Karachi? Justice Rizvi remarked that even SHOs cannot go to the vicinity of Sohrab Goth out of fear of the encroachers. The SHOs say that they need Rangers' help, if police need Rangers security than what they are getting paid for. Senior Member Land Utilisation said that the process of computerisation of land records is in progress.
Justice Mandokhel remarked that how long will this last? Occupancy of government lands continues and they are constantly taking time. If you had done proper land reforms, the burden on the courts would have been reduced by 80 per cent.
Senior member land utilisation said that whenever there is action to evict squatters, hundreds of people start violent protests creating a law and order situation.
Justice Mandokhel said in his remarks that the procedure is to turn off the electricity and water, if there is no power, gas, food and water, people will leave on their own. The court remarked to take all possible steps to end the illegal occupation and submit a report.
The Supreme Court bench ordered the IG Sindh to direct all the SSPs to provide support and force to the Deputy Commissioners for anti-encroachment drives. The bench further ordered that the Home Secretary should also issue instructions to the Rangers to provide back up for evicting squaters. The court ordered the Sindh government to submit a detailed report on the operation to end illegal occupation of government lands within six weeks.
Published in The Express Tribune, December 24th, 2022.
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