Karachi Cantt boards ordered...: No commercial activity on military lands, says SC

KARACHI: The SC directed the cantonment boards of Karachi to ensure there is no commercial activity, construction of marriage lawns and halls on the military lands which should only be retained and used for the earmarked purpose.

The directions were given on Tuesday after the last week's meeting chaired by senior judge of the Supreme Court Justice Gulzar Ahmed at the Supreme Court, Karachi Registry. The meeting reviewed the progress on the implementation of the court orders about removal of encroachments from public parks and amenity plots.

Justice Gulzar said it was expected from the Director cantonment boards and the DHA to work for the welfare of general public by providing them hospitals, libraries, parks and playgrounds. About the military lands demarcated for emergency medical situations for Sindh and Balochistan but being used for marriage halls, the SC directed the director cantonment boards hat there should be no commercial activity on the military lands as that may be create security issues. The apex court ordered that the land should only be used for the earmarked purpose. The SC observed that the allotments on the open spaces by the DHA is contrary to the law and against the proper use of the land. Justice Gulzar directed to remove all encroachments from the DHA greenbelts and plantations be made therein so the open spaces are properly utilized.

The court also directed the Karachi Development Authority and other civic authorities to continue anti-encroachment drive without any interruption and immediately remove encroachments from the route of the Karachi Circular Railway. The court also directed the Pakistan Railways to demolish all illegal encroachments from the railways land. The apex court also took exception over the unauthorized construction at the Sindhi Muslim Cooperative Housing Society and expressed displeasure over the performance of the Sindh Building

Control Authority. The SC observed that there are several illegal buildings on Shahra-e-Faisal permitted by the SBCA without legal sanction or justification of any applicable rules, regulations or in accordance with the master plan. The court also directed to restore the four natural lakes in Karachi, which were drained and occupied, to their original position.