KARACHI: The Supreme Court on Tuesday directed the Defence Housing Authority (DHA) to make sure that the seafront would remain available to the public for recreational purposes without any encroachment or hindrance.

The direction came from Justice Gulzar Ahmed, who was chairing a meeting of all stakeholders at the apex court’s Karachi registry on the second consecutive day to review the progress of the ongoing anti-encroachment drive in the metropolis.

The meeting was attended by the chief secretary, home secretary, transport secretary, Karachi commissioner, senior officers of Karachi Metropolitan Corporation, Karachi Development Authority, Karachi Water and Sewerage Board, Sindh Building Control Authority, Pakistan Railways, DHA, Civil Aviation Authority, Karachi Port Trust, police and Ranger, Pakistan Coast Guards, cantonment boards and others.

Coast Guards says barricades on Sarwar Shaheed Road removed; CAA told to build park in front of airport

Sources told Dawn that the apex court’s judge directed the representatives of the DHA to ensure that no constructions that may restrict, or hinder, access of the public to the beaches be allowed.

He made clear that the DHA had to make sure that the seafront would remain available to the public for amusement without any encroachment.

Drive against encroachment to continue

Judge Ahmed also directed officers of the KDA, DHA, cantonment boards and others concerned to self-regulate themselves with regard to the issue of encroachments in the city so that the ongoing operation would continue without any discrimination.

He appreciated the role of the departments and civic agencies concerned for carrying out the operation against encroachments from public parks and playgrounds, footpaths, amenity plots, storm-water drains, etc.

He also appreciated the police and Rangers for providing full assistance to anti-encroachment staffs.

The apex court’s judge also directed the officials to clear all amenity spaces, which had been encroached upon, and set up big public parks on the retrieved land.

He also directed all concerned to ensure plantation on the land retrieved from the encroachers as a ‘gift’ to the people of the city. The SC judge directed the Civil Aviation Authority officials to identify the encroachments within their territorial jurisdiction and make sure that the same were removed strictly in accordance with the laws/rules.

He also told the CAA officers to set up a public park on a piece of the land in front of Karachi airport.

Justice Ahmed observed that the Sea Breeze Plaza was in a dilapidated condition and asked the representatives of the cantonment board concerned to submit a report explaining the plan for its restoration or demolition.

The judge also sought a report from the authorities concerned about the legal status of the Hyatt Regency Hotel.

A representative of the Pakistan Coast Guards filed a report submitting that the barricades placed outside the Pakistan Coast Guards Officers Mess on Sarwar Shaheed Road had been removed in compliance with the directive of the apex court.

A day earlier, the apex court had directed the Rangers authorities to remove all those check-points set up on roads and that were no longer in use.

Published in Dawn, December 19th, 2018