KARACHI, May 16: The Sindh High Court directed the city district government to pay off compensation to 27 petitioners affected by the construction of the Lyari Expressway (LEW) in accordance with their entitlement under the rules by May 25.

The petitioners, residents of Gulshan-i-Iqbal, submitted through Advocate Ghulam Qadir Jatoi that their plots and houses were acquired for the expressway without any compensation. They said they were entitled to compensation like other affected people under the law and an SHC order.

CDGK counsel Manzoor Ahmed stated that all the affected people had been paid compensation according to a criterion formulated by a committee. There were different rates of compensation for leaseholders and occupants without any instrument of title. However, the city district government would look into the matter and decide their cases in accordance with the law and rules.

A division bench comprising Justices Amir Hani Muslim and Yasmeen Abbasy ordered that compensation be paid to the petitioners in accordance with the rules by May 25.

FREE WILL MARRIAGE: Another division bench consisting of Justices Sarmad Jalal Osmany and Ali Sain Dino Metlo issued notices to the Gizri police and complainant Mohammad Ali for May 23 in a petition moved by Mehwish, the complainant’s daughter, and Zainul Abideen.