Karachi: The Chief Justice of Pakistan, Justice Qazi Faiz Isa has expressed his anger and said that in Karachi Naval, Rangers Headquarters, Governor, CM House, all are occupying the footpaths.
A hearing was held at the Supreme Court Karachi Registry on the petition of the victims of the Karachi Circular Railway (KCR) project. The court directed the Sindh government to look into the matter of the victims.
The Chief Justice told the Advocate General that there should be more punishment where the government encroaches, you don’t see where you are coming from? Naval Headquarters, Governor’s House, Chief Minister’s House, Rangers Headquarters all occupy footpaths too.
The Additional Attorney General replied that there are security issues, there have been bomb attacks.
The Chief Justice remarked that attacks on the public continue and you remain safe. Where is this law? So go somewhere else, vacate this place, go somewhere safe, tell me where is the Rangers headquarters and where is the footpath? The roads are broken in places where the mayor has also come. Where are they? They knock down electric poles, they leave the whole road open, don’t close the roads in the name of security, if you feel too scared, go and sit in a remote area, where in the world does this happen? Go to America and see.
The Chief Justice asked the KMC lawyer that why don’t you remove the encroachment in front of the Rangers headquarters? We are going to file a case tomorrow, tell us the details under which law has this Jinnah Court given to the Rangers? Remove all these, they broke the houses of small people, remove them too, later you will pay compensation, you have a little life, keep saving it, what is the way to become a VIP, keep moving, I have forbidden you, don’t root for me. The IG has been told that if they will take the route now, they will take notice of contempt of court.
The Chief Justice said that why do they keep the containers outside instead of keeping them inside the governor’s house? We want to disturb the public, we say that if there is an encroachment in front of the Supreme Court, break it too, the expenses incurred in removing the obstacles, the KMC should collect from the head of the concerned institution.
The Supreme Court ordered the removal of obstructions and encroachments from outside government and private buildings, including Rangers Headquarters, Governor House, CM House, within three days and directed to submit a report.
The court directed that no one is allowed to obstruct the free movement of people, it is illegal to block the roads and create obstacles, the federal and provincial governments are creating encroachments, clear the roads that belong to the KMC. Rangers should be instructed.
The court directed to plant new trees in place of dead trees in Karachi and said that people who walk on foot should be asked what is their problem.
The Supreme Court directed all concerned and security agencies to send a copy of the court order and ordered the Additional Attorney General to inform the federal agencies and adjourned the hearing of the encroachment case till Friday.
Apart from this, the court heard the case of payment of compensation to the victims of illegal building Tajuri Heights. When asked by the court, the lawyer said that Tajuri Heights belongs to Sindh Governor Kamran Tesori.
The Chief Justice directed that the court had ordered to pay compensation to the victims in three months, you should return the money to the people. The builder’s lawyer said that the remaining compensation would be given to the victims.
