Anti-encroachment case: SHC directs chief of Rangers and NHA, again, to assist KMC

The issue was brought to notice of the SHC chief justice last year.

KARACHI:

The Karachi Metropolitan Corporation informed the Sindh High Court that the Rangers and National Highway Authority were not assisting them in removing illegal encroachment from the Super Highway despite the court’s directions.

KMC’s lawyer made this complaint on Tuesday before a two-judge bench of the high court, which has on occasions issued directions to the Rangers Director-General and NHA Chairperson to assist the local administration’s operation against encroachments posing threats to the judges during inter-city visits along the Super Highway between Sohrab Goth and Toll Plaza.

The issue was brought to the notice of the SHC chief justice by an additional registrar of the SHC’s Hyderabad circuit bench last year.

Since then, the SHC has issued various directions and orders to the Karachi Commissioner, Traffic DIG, Motorway and Highways DIG, Rangers DG and NHA Chairperson to resolve the problem.

At the last hearing, the judges had specifically ordered the Rangers DG and NHA’s chairperson to assist the KMC during the anti-encroachment operation.

On Tuesday, when the judges took up the matter to see progress in this regard, neither the representatives of the Rangers and NHA appeared nor was any report filed on their behalf.

Headed by Justice Nadeem Akhtar, the bench once again directed the chiefs of Rangers and NHA to help the KMC staff during operation for removal of encroachments from the Sohrab Goth and Toll Plaza before the next date of hearing.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 3^rd, 2013.