SC gives Murad a month to implement orders on Karachi encroachments
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After ordering him to appear in person immediately, Chief Justice of Pakistan Justice Gulzar Ahmed on Tuesday gave Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah one month to implement the Supreme Court orders in the Karachi encroachments case, reported 24NewsHD TV.
The chief justice reminded Murad that executing the orders was his responsibility, to which he replied that he disagreed with the court’s opinion – a comment which displeased the top judge.
“Are you disagreeing with the court? You cannot state ‘disagree’ like this,” Chief Justice Gulzar observed. However, the chief minister explained that he disagreed with the facts, not the court judgment.
“We have done so many things for Karachi,” said Murad who cited the removal of encroachments from footpaths as an example to prove his point.
But the chief justice observed that encroachments from footpaths had been eliminated for “your own security” and that multi-storey buildings and the occupation of parks’ land were not still checked.
At this, Murad informed the court that many related powers belonged to the Karachi mayor. It again prompted the chief justice to remark, “What is going on in your head.”
In his response, the chief minister apologised to the court, saying he was sorry for saying anything inappropriate.
Earlier in the day, Chief Justice Gulzar summoned Murad immediately after expressing his anger over slow pace of implementation on the orders to remove encroachments in Karachi.
Hearing the matter at the Karachi Registry, he remarked that they did not want to hear the chief secretary and added. “Ask the chief minister to appear in person at the earliest [today].”
Asking the officials how much progress has so far been made, Chief Justice Gulzar mentioned that they had directed the chief minister to personally monitor and execute the court orders.
“Where is the chief minister’s report,” the chief justice questioned, asking the additional advocate general to tell Murad to reach the court at the earliest.
“Did the chief minister read our order?” he observed and added, “Where is the advocate general? Didn’t he know how important this case was?”
Reminding the additional advocate general that the orders have not been implemented despite the passage of one-and-half year, the chief justice remarked whether the court should initiate with contempt proceedings.
When the law officer suggested that the court should ask the Karachi commissioner for details, the chief justice said how he could know that when they were posted for a period of two months. “The chief minister will tell us about the progress.”
As the commissioner informed the court that they have submitted a report with two top officials, the court remarked the document would have been forwarded to others and grilled him for lack of action and information.