Clifton flyover: SHC suspends stay against construction

Division bench calls for comments from DHA – which had moved court against construction – and others by Apr 23.

KARACHI:

The Sindh High Court (SHC) on Friday suspended its interim stay order against the construction of underpasses and a flyover in Karachi’s Clifton locality.

The division bench, headed by Justice Aqeel Ahmed Abbasi, also called for comments from Defense Housing Authority (DHA) – which had moved the court against the construction – and others by April 23.

Appealing against the stay order, Bahria Town’s lawyer informed the court that the plan to construct the underpasses and flyover was devised by the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) for the citizens of the city. The appellant, while launching its Bahria Town Icon Tower project, offered to fund the underpasses and flyover, he said, adding that the KMC approved the proposal after fulfilling all legal formalities.

The lawyers said Bahria Town agreed to bear the entire financial expenditure for the completion of the projects, estimated at around Rs 1.8 billion. He argued that the DHA has no locus standi to file a lawsuit against it.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 12^th, 2014.