Illegal residential project: Court seeks report on Moon Gardens’ evacuation

On Tuesday, the apex court suspended the SHC order to evict the residents and demolish the building

KARACHI: The Sindh High Court (SHC) directed on Wednesday East DIG Munir Sheikh to file a report as to how many of the flats in the Moon Gardens residential project have been sealed or vacated in compliance with the court's earlier orders.

Headed by Justice Sajjad Ali Shah, the division bench passed this direction while hearing an application filed by the residents of the complex, who had sought short suspension of their eviction.

During Wednesday's proceedings, the assistant advocate-general, Ghulam Mustafa Mahesar, appeared before the court with IG Ghulam Hyder Jamali, Karachi AIG Mushtaq Mahar and East DIG Sheikh.

The bench asked the police officers to ensure that the project's builder, Abdul Razak Khamosh, does not get the already sealed and vacated flats occupied in order to exploit the Supreme Court's order passed a day earlier.

On Tuesday, the SC bench had suspended the high court's order to evict the residents and demolish the building, which was built illegally on the land belonging to the Pakistan Railways Cooperative Housing Society.

The law officer, Mahesar, assured that the court's order will be complied with. He requested, however, that the court exempt the IG from personal appearance. He assured that DIG Sheikh will be appearing before the court and ensure compliance of its orders.

Dispensing the personal appearance of the IG, the bench directed the DIG to submit a list mentioning how many of the flats have already been sealed or vacated. He will file report in two days.

Adjourning the hearing till December 3, the bench also extended its earlier order suspending the eviction and demolition of the building until the next date of hearing.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 19^th, 2015.