KARACHI: The Sindh High Court has expressed resentment over the officials of Karachi Development Authority (KDA) for failing to file comments despite repeated orders and directed its director general to appear on Nov 4.

A two-judge bench headed by Justice Mohammad Shafi Siddiqui was hearing a petition about encroachments on a road. When the matter came up for hearing, the bench asked for the KDA’s comments.

The counsel for KDA straightaway informed the bench that he had sent several letters in this regard but none of the officials had responded.

KDA counsel has informed the bench that KDA officials were not responding to notices

The bench observed the grievances of the KDA lawyer that its officials were not responding and ignoring the letters for one or the other reason.

“This is quite alarming that despite orders of the court and issuance of several letters by the KDA’s counsel themselves the officials of the concerned department of KDA are not responding. We therefore direct the director general KDA to appear in person on the next date and respond to the above,” the bench added.

Citing the Sindh chief secretary, KDA, Karachi Metropolitan Corporation, Board of Revenue and others as respondents, the petitioner had submitted that as per the layout plans and official maps, a 150-foot-wide road was planned from Nagan Chowrangi to Manghopir Road in SITE.

However, the petitioner maintained that only a small part of the road from Nagan to Anda Mor existed and remaining portion was encroached upon.

Encroachments in Korangi

The same bench has directed the director-estate and enforcement of the KDA to appear before it on the next hearing along with a compliance report regarding alleged encroachments on several amenity plots in Korangi.

The petitioner submitted that the officials concerned of the KDA had allegedly leased out several amenity plots in Altaf Town, Korangi Crossing to different persons under china-cutting.

He argued that there were numerous amenity plots in the master plan approved in 1991-92 and pleaded for removal of encroachments.

At the outset of the hearing, the lawyer for KDA submitted that despite his best efforts, the director general, estate and enforcement, had not responded.

The counsel further said that the director be summoned to assist the bench and file a compliance report in respect of alleged encroachments as individual plots had been carved out over several amenity plots as disclosed in the nazir’s report.

The bench directed the director-estate and enforcement to be in attendance along with compliance report and warned that in case of non-compliance, a warrant would be issued against him.

Published in Dawn, October 11th, 2020