SHC restrains Sindh govt from demolishing Hawke’s Bay villages

Orders survey of populated area over plea against allocation of 6,000 acres to DHA

KARACHI:

The Sindh High Court has issued a written order on a petition challenging the allocation of 6,000 acres of land to Defence Housing Authority (DHA) at Hawke's Bay.

Atwo-member bench headed by Justice Salahuddin Panhwar heard the petitions filed by the Sindh United Party (SUP).

The order has restrained the Sindh government from demolishing any village or displacing residents.

The written order states that according to the petitioner, the Sindh government is planning to allocate five to six thousand acres of land to DHA, which will result in the demolition of three villages and the displacement of residents.

The villagers have been living there since the time of their ancestors and are afraid of being displaced due to the new housing scheme. The court has ordered the nazir to visit all the villages with the assistance of the petitioner and submit a report.

The court has also allowed the nazir to use Google Maps for assistance.

The IG Sindh should ensure that the police do not harass the residents.

Advocate Aqeel Rajpar, counsel for the petitioners and president of the Sindh United Lawyers Forum, told the court that people have been living there since the British era, including the villages of Deh Mandari, Deh Allah Bano, and Deh Chhattara.

Meanwhile Syed Zain Shah, president of SUP, welcomed the court order, saying that the Sindh High Court's restraining order has boosted the morale of the affected people. The court order has saved people from becoming homeless. Zain Shah said that the affected people had first contacted the representatives of the Pakistan Peoples Party, but no one listened to them, after which they approached Sindh United Party.