SC orders widening of Orangi, Gujjar Nullah; rejects affectees pleas
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The Supreme Court of Pakistan Monday rejecting the pleas of affectees to stop ongoing demolition operation, ordered the widening of Orangi and Gujjar Nullah to its original form, reported 24NewsHD TV channel.
SCP Chief Justice Gulzar Ahmed rejected the petition of affectees to stop the evictions and demolitions of their houses across both Nullah.
Sindh Advocate General argued that carpeting a new road across the Nullah meant to stop the encroachment in future.
The CJP inquired who approved the lease on land across both Nullahs, to which the Advocate General replied, “`different people approved the lease in different times.”
The CJP remarked that the onus of responsibility lies on the Sindh government and its departments are involved in granting lease and under which law Sindh Building Control Authority (SBCA) allowed encroachments.
Sindh AG said that both Nullahs have been redesigned.
However, the lawyer of the affectees said that the wrong interpretation is being carried out of the SC decision as SC has not given any order to build a road across Nullahs and lease to homes was granted by KDC, Kachi Abadi and KMC.
Justice Aijazul Ahsan said that the approval of the new road would be as per the law.
Sindh AG said that the land of Nullah would remain vacant even after the road was built.
Faisal Saddique, the advocate of affectees, pleaded to provide justice to the 6,000 affectees of the Gujjar nullah. On which, the CJP replied the land belonged to the Nullah.
CJP Gulzar Ahmed remarked that this is complete china- cutting as how could someone lease the government land as these all are fake documents.
“Now we have to ask how these affectees could be facilitated,” the CJP remarked.
The advocate of affectees argued why the burden always put on the poor and why there are no checks and balances on the rich.
When the advocate argued about the payment to the affectees, the CJP remarked only original document holders would get the payment not the fake ones.
It is pertinent to note that a number of affectees from the Gujjar and Orangi nullahs staged a protest demonstration outside the Supreme Court of Pakistan Karachi Register when the case was being heard. The protesters appealed to the Supreme Court to not lift the stay on demolitions.
Earlier, hundreds of children from the Gujjar and Orangi nullahs staged a protest demonstration outside the Karachi Press Club on Sunday.
Reports said, the recent demolitions, caused in the wake of SC’s August 20 order regarding the cleaning of city’s storm-water drains have already rendered a large number of children homeless, whereas estimate suggests that at least 21,000 children will be left without homes by the end of the demolitions.
Holding placards, the children highlighted the humanitarian crisis that has developed in Karachi’s district Central in the aftermath of the demolitions.
The demolitions along Gujjar Nala and Orangi Nala started because of World Bank Project SWEEP, which was allegedly proposed to clear the drainage system of Karachi to prevent flooding.
— Karachi Bachao Tehreek (@StopEvictionKHI) June 13, 2021
This video shows why that is a complete lie #SupremeCourtStopDemolitions pic.twitter.com/Zj7012I1gi
Karachi Bachao Tehreek activist Anam Rathor tweeted, “Tomorrow’s Supreme Court hearing will determine the fate of the thousands of residents of Gujjar Nala who’re threatened with violent displacement and homelessness without any relief in the form of rehabilitation and/or compensation.”
Reporter Bilal Ahmed