SC seeks progress report on Karachi anti-encroachment drive

KARACHI: The Supreme Court on Friday sought reports on the ongoing anti-encroachment drive in Karachi, ARY News reported.

Justice Gulzar Ahmed, who is monitoring the drive, will preside over a meeting of government departments at the apex court’s Karachi registry on Jan 12. He has summoned reports on removal of encroachments from the city.

Justice Ahmed also sought details of the Pakistan Railways and Karachi Water and Sewerage Board’s (KWSB) retrieved land during the operation. The Sindh chief secretary, local government secretary, Karachi Commissioner, and Railways officials have been summoned for the meeting as well.

Last year, on Oct 27, the SC directed Mayor Karachi Wasim Akhtar to remove all encroachments from the city’s amenity plots and pavements with the help of law enforcement agencies and granted a 15-day deadline to city authorities for compliance of its orders.

The ongoing anti-encroachment drive by Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) has moved towards the decades old book markets of the country, popularly known as Urdu Bazaar.

The KMC administration has served notices on the shopkeepers to vacate their stalls within three days before they are razed by the demolition teams.