LARKANA: The Sindh High Court’s Constitutional Bench, Larkana circuit, has ordered the deputy commissioner and other relevant authorities to ensure removal of all encroachments from the areas specified through its earlier directives.

The bench, comprising Justice Zulfiqar Ali Sangi and Arbab Ali Hakro, expressed its dissatisfaction over the statement filed by the deputy commissioner on December 5, and warned him to act upon the orders passed by this court.

The bench also asked the Larkana commissioner, deputy commissioner, mayor, municipal commissioner and SSP to personally appear before it on the January 15, 2026 with a compliance report together with photographs captured by them during the anti-encroachment drive.

The constitutional bench was seized with a petition filed by Advocate Asif Hussain Chandio, who is also the general secretary of the High Court Bar Association (SHCBA).

During the Nov 6 hearing of the petition, the Larkana DC had personally appeared before the bench and had undertaken that he would issue a schedule for an anti-encroachment operation within the next 10 days. The areas from where the encroachments were required to be removed included public streets and pedestrian pathways, specifically Resham Gali, Bunder Road, Pakistani Chowk via Jinnah Bagh and Bukhari Road in Larkana city. The DC submitted his statement in court on December 5 which was taken on record.

During the December 12 hearing, the bench remarked: “We are not satisfied with the said statement, and we warn him to act upon the orders passed by this Court”.

It referred to the petitioner’s claim that not only the specified areas, but also other places like Zulfiqar Bagh, tanga stand, both banks of Rice Canal, Surihiya Padhar, Allah Abad, new bus terminal, old bus stand, Sheikh Zayed Morr, fronts of the Latif Medical Complex, Govt Girls Degree College and Station Road, Jiles Bazaar, women jail and Lahori Muhalla also remained occupied by encroachers.

“Under these circumstances, we direct the Mayor, Municipal Corporation Larkana, Comm­issioner Larkana, and Deputy Commissioner Larkana to remove entire encroachment and furnish such report before this Court on the next date of hearing. The Chief Secretary, Govt. of Sindh is also directed to look into the affairs of officials of Larkana and furnish such report on or before next date through focal person. The DIGP Larkana, Wing Commander Rangers, SSP Larkana are also directed to provide assistance to the officials for initiating the anti-encroachment drive,” the order read.

Published in Dawn, December 16th, 2025