SC orders sale of Karachi’s Nasla Tower land to compensate scam affectees

The Supreme Court (SC) on Thursday ordered the sale of Karachi’s Nasla Tower land and distribution of proceeds from the sale among the people affected by the scandal, reported 24NewsHD TV channel.    

During the hearing of the petition seeking compensation for the Nasla Tower affectees at the apex court’s Karachi Registry, Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Justice Qazi Faez Isa also ordered placing an ad in newspapers for the sale of the land.

He also directed the concerned officials to submit a report on the market value of the plot.

Apart from that, the CJP also sought details of heirs of Abdul Qadir, the builder.

The chief justice directed those affected to approach the concerned officials along with documentary proofs of their ownership.

Speaking on the occasion, the petitioners' lawyer said that the builder had passed away, and that despite court orders, his clients had not been compensated as yet through the sale of the land.

He also prayed to the court to order the sale of the plot adjacent to that of the tower and distribute the amount thus received among the affectees.

Two years ago, the then CJP Justice Gulzar Ahmad had ordered the demolition of the tower.

He had also ordered compensation for 44 victims of the scandal.    

Also on Thursday, the SC ordered the allotment of lands to those displaced during anti-encroachment operations carried out around three nullahs of Karachi, namely Gujjar, Orangi and Mehmoodabad, in one month.

The CJP, on the occasion, inquired whether the structures bulldozed during operations around the nullahs were legal.

The advocate general (AG) replied that they were illegal and that the government did what the apex court had ordered it to do.

He also informed the court that the Sindh government had earmarked Rs1 million for the construction of homes for the affected people.

Justice Isa remarked that the amount belonged to the people of the province, and that the SC would not allow anybody to usurp it.

He directed the government to allot plots to those who were interested.

Ordering giving compensation to those affected, the chief justice made it clear that the court has no objection if others wanted to wait for the Engineering Council.

Speaking on the occasion, Karachi Mayor Murtaza Wahab informed that encroachments built around the nullahs had been removed. “The KMC complies with the SC orders,” he told the court.    

He went on to say that close to 150 illegal hydrants were removed during the last six months.

Reporter: Mumtaz Jamali