ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court on Tuesday restrained the Sindh government from executing a land deal of 350 acres of Clifton Beach in Karachi which Transparency International Pakistan (TI-Pak) believes is illegal.

The restraining order came after a similar direction of Nov 26 in which the Supreme Court bench had stayed the Sindh government from selling the 600 acres of mangrove-covered land on a petition also moved by TI-Pak Adviser Syed Adil Gilani alleging that the land worth Rs400 billion was illegally allotted to a former secretary of the chief minister who now was trying to build housing and other commercial projects over it.

A three-judge Supreme Court bench headed by Chief Justice Nasirul Mulk had taken up the application of Advocate Hashmat Habib on behalf of TI-Pak in which the attention of the court was sought over alleged illegal sale of the federal government lands spreading over 350 acres sea beach (land to be reclaimed) worth Rs350 billion.

The TI-Pak had requested the apex court to take up the instant matter along with the case regarding illegal sale of 600 acres of mangrove-covered area located between Zulfiqar Street No1, DHA Creek Avenue and Korangi road in Karachi.

Read: SC moved on illegal sale of beach land

In the fresh application the TI-Pak has claimed that Sindh Chief Minister Qaim Ali Shah had recently approved a proposal piloted by the Sindh Board of Revenue for the allotment of the land adjacent to the new breakwater in front of the Karachi Development Authority’s (KDA) Kehkeshan Scheme 5.

The administrator of Karachi Municipal Corporation (KMC), the application had alleged, had carved plots on this area which have been allotted either as new allotments to SZABIST Karachi or as plot adjustment to individuals or companies under the pretext of hardship cases.

The sea beach has been partially reclaimed by the Karachi Port Trust (KPT) and is the property of the federal government notified as KPT area, the application had stated.

On Tuesday the Supreme Court stayed the Sindh High Court from proceedings in four similar cases related to the ownership of mangrove-covered area and summoned record of all litigation to decide the fate of this land.

The court has also asked Adil Gilani to appear in person on the next date of hearing as the Sindh government was completely denying the allegations levelled by him in the applications.

The bench has also directed member Land Utilisation to submit comprehensive report on the status of both areas.

Senior counsel Khalid Anwar appearing on behalf of KPT requested the court to make KPT as party in the hearing and was asked to submit a proper application in this regard.

Published in Dawn, December 17th, 2014