Anti-encroachment drive fizzles out

SHC issues contempt notices to district administration

KARACHI:

The much trumpeted anti-encroachment drive announced in the city by the provincial government last month on court orders seems to have fizzled out.

The Sindh High Court has issued notices to deputy commissioner of the East district, anti-encroachment cell and others.

The bench responded to a contempt of court petition regarding encroachments on roads from Lasbela to Garden West. It said that operation against encroachment could not be carried out on 11 roads in the city despite court orders.

During the hearing, the petitioner's lawyer maintained that in 2022, the court had ordered to remove the encroachments, however, the encroachment still exist and action has been taken against them.

As many as 11 roads including Islamganj Street Garden to Lyari Expressway, Islamganj Street Nishtar Road, Ramnagar Street, Kashan Haider Street, Al-Fareed, Mirza and George Streets, Yousaf Malik and Tharo Lines are the most affected by encroachment and illegal constructions. DC east and the anti-encroachment cell have not implemented the court orders, the lawyer maintained. The court issued notices to the parties and sought their response.

Earlier in October, Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah had formed a committee under the Local Government Minister, along with the city mayor, the commissioner, and other relevant officers with the task of identifying 10 to 15 key roads in the city by tomorrow and then initiating an operation to remove encroachments from walkways, green belts, streets, and footpaths. He vowed a zero-tolerance policy towards encroachments on major roads.

Swati moves SHC

PTI leader Azam Swati on Wednesday moved the Sindh High Court (SHC) against the registration of cases against him in the province.

He filed a constitutional petition in the SHC through his lawyer Younis Khan, in which he expressed his concerns over the lack of information about the specific locations in Sindh where these cases have been lodged. The Sindh home secretary and the IG olice have been named as respondents in the case.

Swati claimed that he was facing threats to his life and honour in the current legal climate and requestedthe court to intervene. He also sought from police copies of the cases.