Removal of all encroachments sought from Karachi-Thatta highway within a week
KARACHI: Chief Secretary Asif Hyder Shah has ordered removal of encroachments along Karachi-Thatta road (N-5) within a week.
Directives in this regard were issued by him while chairing a meeting of the officials concerned, including the secretary implementation & coordination (I&C), DIG Traffic, managing director of the Sindh Solid Waste Management Board (SSWMB), municipal commissioner of Karachi, deputy commissioners and SSPs of Malir, Korangi and Thatta districts.
The participants were briefed on the current state of encroachments along the N-5 highway, including illegal occupation of road space by operators of water tankers and heavy trucks as well as by fruit and vegetable vendors. The meeting was told that these encroachments were severely hampering the flow of vehicular traffic and causing inconvenience to the public.
The CS expressed his displeasure over the situation and failure of the authorities concerned in taking timely action. He noted that the Karachi-Thatta road served as a key route for trade, travel and daily commute and, therefore, it should remain free from any kind of obstruction.
He issued strict directives to the departments and district administrations concerned to ensure complete removal of all encroachments within a week.
Chief secretary also tells officials to ensure retail sugar price at Rs173/kg
The chief secretary also directed the Malir deputy commissioner to take immediate steps to relocate all parked tankers from the main highway to the designated Zulfikarabad Oil Tankers Terminal, established specifically for such purposes.
Reviews sugar, wheat situation
Chairing another high-level meeting, the CS reviewed key issues related to sugar and wheat prices.
The meeting was attended by the secretaries of agriculture, food, implementation & coordination (I&C) land utilisation departments. All commissioners and deputy commissioners in the province participated in the meeting via video link.
The meeting received a detailed briefing on the current ex-mill and retail prices of sugar in various districts of the province.
The chief secretary issued strict instructions to all commissioners and DCs to ensure that the ex-mill price of sugar remained capped at Rs165 per kilogram. He further directed that retail prices must not exceed an additional Rs8 above the ex-mill price, meaning the maximum retail price should be Rs173 per kilogram.
He said that any violation of this pricing structure must be dealt with strictly. If retailers are found charging beyond the fixed price, immediate action must be taken against them. Moreover, if any sugar mill is found selling sugar above the notified ex-mill rate, its data would be compiled and shared with the Prime Minister’s Office for further action.
Regarding wheat stock management, the CS asked all commissioners to conduct a thorough survey of wheat godowns managed by the food department. The survey must focus on the quality and condition of stored wheat.
The commissioners have been directed to submit their inspection reports within the next three days.
Published in Dawn, July 23rd, 2025