Court orders to remove signboards across Karachi

KARACHI: The Sindh High Court (SHC) on Tuesday has issued a stern directive ordering the removal of all signboards across Karachi within four weeks, ARY News reported.

The court directed the authorities to remove the billboards across Karachi and issued a warning that failure to comply with this order would result in contempt of court proceedings against the responsible officials.

The directive came during a hearing on a case concerning the placement of signboards, political banners, and advertisements on government properties and public spaces.

The court expressed frustration over the lack of implementation of previous Supreme Court orders, specifically criticizing Mayor Karachi and other officials for their inaction.

READ: Authorities to initiate crack down against illegal billboards in Karachi

The court instructed various city authorities, including the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC), Karachi Development Authority (KDA), Defence Housing Authority (DHA), and Cantonment Boards, to ensure the removal of all signboards and submit a compliance report within four weeks.

Additionally, the court ordered that cases be filed against those responsible for installing illegal signboards, stressing that despite earlier orders, illegal boards remain in place and no legal actions have been taken.

The petitioner’s lawyer highlighted that while the Supreme Court had previously mandated the removal of signboards from government properties, the KMC had controversially included provisions allowing the installation of signboards on such properties in its rules.

It is pertinent to mention here that the SHC back in December 2023 ordered the removal of all billboards from private properties in Karachi within 15 days, directing the authorities concerned to implement an earlier Supreme Court (SC) order.