KARACHI: The Sindh High Court on Tuesday imposed a fine of Rs5,000 on Karachi Development Authority Director General Syed Nasir Abbas for ignoring its order regarding the removal of 55 houses built on an amenity plot in Gulistan-i-Jauhar.

A two-judge bench, headed by Justice Nadeem Akhtar, directed the KDA’s DG to deposit Rs5,000 from his personal account with the SHC nazir for not complying with its directives and failing to submit a compliance report despite his undertaking.

On Jan 25, the director general had appeared before the SHC and tendered unconditional apology for not having complied with its directives. He had also promised that the encroachment would be removed and a compliance report in that regard would be submitted by Feb 17.

“Neither the encroachment was removed nor the compliance report was furnished within stipulated time by KDA’s chief despite his assurance and unconditional apology; therefore he should deposit Rs5,000 for breaching his own undertaking,” the judges ordered.

The KDA director general submitted that his department was willing to remove the encroachment from the park’s land on ST-41 and 42 in Block 42, Gulistan-i-Jauhar, but needed a proper force of police and Rangers to deal with the land-grabbers and make sure the law and order situation would remain under control.

The court on his request directed the Rangers director general, the DIG concerned and the SSP (anti-encroachment) to provide proper assistance of force during the operation.

The court also directed all utility agencies to cut off the connections given to the land-grabbers.

The KDA director general was told to complete the entire exercise by March 31. The DG was also directed to appear before it on the next hearing, April 5.

The SHC had directed the removal of illegally built houses on the constitutional petition of a non-governmental organisation, Maimoona Welfare Trust.

It had also directed the authorities concerned in Jan 2015 to remove 55 houses built on the amenity plot and compensate the people who had bought those houses.

However, the court’s directives could not be complied with even after two years.

Published in Dawn, March 1st, 2017