Political parties responsible for encroachments in Karachi: Waseem Akhtar

KARACHI: Mayor Karachi Waseem Akhtar on Wednesday held all political parties responsible for widespread encroachments in the port city.

Speaking to media outside the Supreme Court registry of Karachi, Waseem Akhtar said if political parties were well wishers of the city then there would have been no encroachments in the metropolitan.

“I have put my political career at stake,” the Mayor claimed, adding that everyone is after looting the city of lights.

Cautioning all owners behind encroachments to make their arrangements, he said, the Supreme Court has given clear directives and no one will be allowed to unlawfully grab the land again.

The orders of the Supreme Court is in the light of Article 189, and its execution is mandatory for all institutions, the Mayor Karachi added.

Waseem Akhtar clarified that the tenants of only Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) will be given alternative places but those who constructed encroachments will get nothing.

Moreover, the federal government, the government of Sindh and the Mayor Karachi have submitted a joint action plan with regard to the ongoing anti-encroachment operation in the city.

The apex court has ordered the authorities to continue the anti-encroachment drive in the city while instructing concerned departments to issue notices of 45 days to the houses and markets established on the amenity plots, before removal of the illegal encroachment.

The bench also ordered the Sindh to release an amount of 200 mln rupees’ to the city government for the anti-encroachment operation.

A bench of the apex court yesterday turned down the Sindh government’s plea to stop the ongoing anti-encroachment operation in the port city and directed the federal, provincial and municipal authorities to sit together to work out a plan for provision of alternate places to the people affected by the operation.