KARACHI: The Sindh High Court on Wednesday issued notices to the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) and other respondents, and summoned the director of parks for Aug 7 in a petition challenging the commercial use of public parks in the metropolis.

Opposition leader in the City Council, Advocate Saifuddin, along with JI’s chairmen of TMCs — including New Karachi, Liaquatabad, Gulberg, Nazimabad, North Nazimabad, Model Colony, Gulshan-i-Iqbal, Jinnah and Landhi — as well as a member of the City Council, filed a petition through their counsel Muhammad Vawda before the SHC to challenge a decision of the City Council that allows the conversion of amenity park plots for commercial use on a rental basis in alleged collusion with private parties.

After a preliminary hearing on Wednesday, a division bench comprising Justice Muhammad Faisal Kamal Alam and Justice Muhammad Hasan Akber issued notices to the respondents, including the KMC and the advocate general of Sindh, directing them to submit their comments, highlighting that whether these parks are given after following Sindh Public Procurement Regulatory Authority (SPPRA) or not.

The bench also summoned the director of parks to appear before the court at the next hearing scheduled for Aug 7.

At the outset of the hearing, counsel for the petitioners, Muhammad Vawda, contended that the KMC, in collusion with private entities, was unlawfully converting amenity park plots into commercial ventures under the guise of public-private partnership agreements.

Citing an example, the counsel submitted that parks were being allotted on “political and extraneous considerations”, and one such instance was the Triangle Park, opposite Dolmen Mall in Clifton, which had been leased to Global Enterprises at an annual rent of Rs500,000.

He further argued that the agreement itself allowed for further development, which could potentially alter the park’s overall character and utility.

The petitioner submitted that such commercial activities included establishing sports grounds and charging exorbitant fees for their use, parking water tankers and other profit-driven operations.

Published in Dawn, July 24th, 2025