KARACHI: The Sindh High Court (SHC) has issued notices to the ministry of housing and works and other respondents on a petition filed by former president Dr Arif Alvi seeking allotment of an official residence as post-presidency entitlement.

A two-judge bench, headed by Justice Mohammad Faisal Kamal Alam, also put the deputy attorney general on notice and directed the respondents to file comments by Oct 9.

Citing the ministry, additional estate officer and two others as respondents, the petitioner submitted that he had served as the president of the country from 2018 to 2024 and was entitled to certain privileges and benefits as enshrined in the law, including provision of an official residence by the government for lifetime.

Representing the petitioner, Advocate Ali Tahir stated that initially, a bungalow (3-A) was allotted to the petitioner as his official residence in Bath Island, Karachi but subsequently another bungalow (5-A) was allotted to the former president in accordance with the prevailing policies and regulations.

He submitted that House No 5-A was currently occupied by Shahab Imam, a Customs official and one of the respondents. Despite being the rightful and legal occupant of the residence in question, the petitioner had been unable to assume its possession due to a series of legal and administrative obstacles, he added.

The lawyer contended that Mr Imam instead of vacating the property, moved the SHC and managed to secure an ad-interim stay order in 2023 without making the petitioner a party in his petition, which had not been fixed for hearing since November 2023.

He submitted that the petitioner had promptly vacated the bungalow No 3-A upon receiving re-allotment order and removed all his belongings except for a few essential items, which was placed in a single room within the premises.

He said that the previous official residence of the petitioner was officially handed over to retired Captain Asim Khan, who asked his client to immediately remove the remaining items from the premises.

The petitioner sought directives for the official respondents to allot the residence to him as well as to put him in possession of the same.

Published in Dawn, October 5th, 2025