SHC asks why police are not assisting in campaign

SHC asked DIG to personally appear explain why they did not arrange for the police force

The Sindh High Court (SHC) has directed the deputy home secretary and South zone DIG to personally appear before it and explain why they did not arrange for the police force to assist the district municipal corporation in carrying out the anti-encroachment operation in Saddar.

A division bench, comprising Justices Sajjad Ali Shah and Shaukat Ali Memon, summoned the two officers when the District Municipal Corporation, South, officials complained of the lack of police assistance to remove illegal encroachments.

The proceedings have been initiated on a petition filed by civil rights campaigner, Rana Faizul Hasan, who had taken the municipal and police authorities to court for failing to clear Saddar of illegal encroachments.

In 2011, the petitioner had moved the court with a direction for these authorities to remove the encroachments from public roads and footpaths. The two judges had passed various orders and directives to the authorities over the months, but the latter have failed to implement them so far.

On Thursday, the DMC South officers appeared before the court and complained of lack of assistance from the police, claiming that they could not carry out the operation alone due to fear of reaction from the encroachers.

The bench therefore directed the deputy home secretary and South zone DIG to appear on the next date of hearing to explain why they were not providing requisite police assistance for the anti-encroachment operation.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 28^th, 2014.