Supreme Court directs to compensate Gujjar Nullah affectees in written order

KARACHI: The Supreme Court of Pakistan (SC) on Tuesday released a written order in an anti-encroachment case, directing the authorities to compensate the affectees of Gujjar and Orangi Nullahs, ARY NEWS reported.

The apex court bench headed by Chief Justice Gulzar Ahmed directed the authorities to complete the expansion work of the Gujjar and Orangi nullahs and annulled all stay orders issued against it from tribunals and Sindh High Court.

The NDMA and Sindh government should continue their work, the court directed while further ordering the authorities to compensate the affectees as per law.

The apex court also directed to recover the land of Kidney Hill Park within two days. “Illegal construction should be demolished from the amenity plot and be converted into a park,” the court ordered.

Yesterday, the Supreme Court (SC) ordered Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) to continue the anti-encroachment drive along nullahs ahead of monsoon season.

The case related to the removal of encroachments along with the drain was taken by a bench of the SC headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Justice Gulzar Ahmed at SC’s Karachi registry.

At the outset of the hearing, the KMC counsel stated before the court that the work on the expansion of Gujjar and Orangi nullahs was underway on the court orders, but the anti-encroachment tribunal has stopped them from razing the leased houses.

Advocate General Sindh apprised the court that Rs20,000 per month rent would be given to the affectees of the nullah.

On the occasion, the CJP asked who is responsible for leasing the nullahs? “Sindh government is responsible for leasing the land of drain,” remarked CJP Gulzar.

The lawyer of the affectees, Faisal Siddiqui said that the lease was given by the KDA, Kachi Abadi and KMC. Six thousand affectees of the anti-encroachment operation should be given alternate residence, he added.