KARACHI: SHC declines pleas by buyers of plots: Gutter Baghicha
By Our Staff Reporter
KARACHI, April 8: The Sindh High Court declined on Tuesday to make any order on nine writ petitions moved by buyers of industrial plots in the KMC Sewage Farm, Manghopir Road, commonly known as “Gutter Baghicha” as the matter is pending disposal before the Supreme Court.
District Coordination Officer Mir Husain Ali appeared before a division bench, comprising Justice Ghulam Rabbani and Justice S. Ali Aslam Jafri, on Tuesday in response to a court notice. He submitted that the city government’s predecessor, the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation, had set up a metropolitan industrial zone in “Gutter Baghicha,” which had initially been earmarked as a public park. Industrial plots were demarcated and sold through public auction.
The petitioners claim that they had paid 25 per cent of the price simultaneously after making successful bids as required by the rules.
However, the city government was not accepting the balance of the price nor giving them possession of the plots allotted by them. They said they had acquired a vested right in the property, of which they could not be deprived.
The DCO submitted that immediately after the auction and before any further proceedings, a citizen (Amber Ali Bhai) approached the Supreme Court directly against the establishment of the industrial zone. The petitioner invoked the original human-rights jurisdiction of the court, claiming that the proposed zone would be a health hazard as it posed a threat to the environment. He also challenged the conversion of amenity plots into industrial zone. Precious land meant for a park was being sold at throwaway prices to fetch the city government Rs40 million, the petitioner alleged. About 140 industrial plots were intended to be auctioned by the city government, he said.
The DCO informed the bench that the city government had not taken any step to change the status quo in view of the pendency of the petition in the Supreme Court.
The bench adjourned the proceedings to a date in office after hearing the DCO.
PS INSPECTION: A division bench of the Sindh High Court appointed on Tuesday the court nazir to inspect Liaquatabad police station to check the presence of a detainee, Mubarak Ali, and submit his report to the court, adds PPI.
The division bench, comprising Justice Muhammad Roshan Ali Essani and Justice Khilji Arif Hussain, was hearing a petition filed by Qamaruddin in that he challenged the alleged illegal detention of his son by the police.
The petitioner submitted that the Liaquatabad police raided his house in Liaquatabad on March 12 and asked about his son Mubarak. He told the police that his son had a fractured leg, so he could not go out. But the police arrested Mubarak.
He stated that the police said his son belonged to a political party and he would not be released unless higher authorities gave orders for it. He submitted that his son did not belong to any political party nor was he involved in political activities. He prayed to the court to direct the police to produce the detainee in the court and order his release.
On Tuesday, an SI of Liaquatabad police station appeared in the court and filed comments stating the police neither raided the petitioner’s house nor did they arrest Mubarak.
The same bench disposed of petitions filed by Naseeban Begum and Muhammad Aftab Siddiqui challenging alleged detentions as they did not press them.
A state counsel stated that the detainees had been released.
