SUKKUR: The Sukkur bench of the Sindh High Court on Thursday ordered immediate removal of encroachments from all graveyards in Sukkur division and directed wing commander of Shahbaz Rangers to extend help to police and administration in their drive against influential land grabbers.

A division bench comprising Justices Aftab Ahmed Gorar and Faisal Kamal Alam issued the orders on a petition filed by senior lawyer and writer Sohail Memon drawing attention to insidious but steady practice of grabbing land of graveyards.

The court expressed deep concern over occupation of land in historic graveyard in Daraza Sharif that also housed the shrine of Sufi saint Sachal Sarmast and ordered SSP of Khairpur to clear the graveyard of all encroachments.

The court further issued directives to wing commander of Shahbaz Rangers ordering him to help police and administration in this regard.

Immediate removal of encroachments from Daraza Sharif graveyard ordered

Advocate Memon informed the court that illegal structures had been erected on occupied land in graveyards in Sukkur region including Rohri.

As their age-old and time-tested modus operandi, the land grabbers first threw garbage around graves and released sewage to keep the graves submerged in dirty water so that they disappeared after some time clearing the land for occupation, he said.

He said that houses and shops were being constructed on the land thus grabbed. The dead were not safe from peoples’ mischief even in their graves, he lamented.

The petitioner informed the court that mukhtiarkar of Rohri town had occupied the path leading to the Bab-i-Karbala graveyard and its land had been encroached upon in connivance with administration where a housing scheme had been launched.

The court, which heard identical applications about occupation of land in Daraza Sharif graveyard in Ranipur, Bab-i-Karbala in Rohri and Beri Chowk graveyard, ordered Rohri mukhtiarkar to immediately remove encroachments from the path to graveyard.

Mukhtiarkar of Gambat informed the court that influential people were behind the occupation of land in Daraza Sharif graveyard and complained that police were not cooperating with the administration in removal of encroachments over fears of bloodshed.

The court heard another similar petition filed by Agha Imtiaz about occupation of land in Exhibition Ground graveyard and declared the petition maintainable. The court sought report from the officials concerned and adjourned the hearing to Feb 4.

Anti-encroachment drive in Mirpurkhas on Jan 25

MIRPURKHAS: The district administration would launch a grand operation in the light of directives of Supreme Court to remove encroachments from government land across the district on Jan 25, said officials.

Deputy Commissioner Salamat Memon said while presiding over a meeting of district administration officers held here on Thursday that the anti-encroachment operation would be launched in the light of reports submitted by officers of different government departments.

He said that notices had already been served on encroachers of state land. The assistant commissioners concerned would supervise the operation and ensure it was carried out in a transparent manner, he said.

Mirpurkhas SSP Faisal Basheer Memon, assistant commissioners and SHO of anti-encroachment police Muhabbat Khan also attended the meeting.

Published in Dawn, January 22nd, 2021