SUKKUR: Sindh High Court’s Sukkur bench comprising Justices Aftab Ahmed Gorar and Mehmood A. Khan on Tuesday ordered the authorities concerned to ensure removal of all encroachments from the lands belonging to the irrigation department within a week.

The bench asked the officials concerned and police to seek assistance of Rangers personnel wherever necessary.

In the previous hearing of a petition filed by All Sindh Irrigation Trade Union Federation president Mian Abdul Raheem Bharo, the bench had ordered the respondent authorities to get the encroached upon lands of the department retrieved.

On Tuesday, it expressed its resentment over the authorities’ failure to fully comply with the order. The chief engineers of Guddu and Sukkur barrages, Sukkur deputy commissioner and senior officials of the irrigation and revenue departments appeared before the bench.

The petitioner was represented by Advocate Mohammad Khan Sangi while Additional Advocate General (AAG) Shafi Mohammad Chandio appeared in court on behalf of the irrigation department.

The bench ordered them to ensure removal of all encroachments on irrigation department’s lands and submit a compliance report within a week.

The bench also asked all deputy commissioners to submit a report of their respective district identifying the irrigation department’s encroached upon lands.

The matter was adjourned to Nov 19.

Published in Dawn, November 11th, 2020