Supreme Court restricts sale, transfer and allotment of Railways land

KARACHI: The Supreme Court in a ruling in the encroachment case said that not an inch of the railway land would be allowed to be sold, ARY News reported on Tuesday.

The Supreme Court in an order restricted the sale, transfer and allotment of any of the Pakistan Railways lands.

The court in a written order after hearing of the case expressed its concern over an alleged plan to sell the railways land in Sindh.

“The bench was informed that the federal government was reportedly planning to sell railway lands in Sindh and a meeting to this effect was held at the Governor House in Karachi,” the court observed.

The bench noted that the government was approaching the court for removal of encroachments on its land, but on the other hand it seemed plans are under consideration to sell the railway land.

The court said that not an inch of the railway land would be allowed to be sold and the apex court would strike down any such move.

The court while ordered the federal government to submit a detailed report on the train crash in Ghotki, observed that the Pakistan Railways affairs were in unprofessional hands. The bench asked the government to take measures to ensure safety of passengers.

The bench headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan Gulzar Ahmed also took exception to a statement of Railways Minister after the recent Ghotki train accident.

The government should give urgent attention to the dilapidated track from Khanpur to Ghotki and Sukkur to Karachi.