KARACHI: The Supreme Court (SC) Karachi Registry has issued written over a plea seeking to review orders of demolition of Nasla Towers, saying the allottees or owners of the building cannot be given the status of actual owners.
This bases on the court's declaration in the verdict that some parts of the building were built on illegally occupied land. Yet, the order "protects the interests of the allottees".
The verdict stated that the defence provided the lease documents for only 780 yards of land despite being repeatedly directed to present the evidence for the lease of the entire area occupied by the building.
"No legal basis for the lease of additional land could be presented before the court," read the verdict , maintaining that no amendment been made in the original lease of the land.
It further stated that a letter issued by the administration of the Sindhi Muslim Cooperative Housing Society (SMCHS) was presented before the court repeatedly when the society did not even have the authority to issue the lease.
According to the verdict, the lawyer representing Nasla Tower referred to two decisions and stated two new reasons regarding the building should not be demolished, but the court said additional reasons could not be considered in the review plea.
“Therefore, the pleas seeking to review the orders for the demolition of Nasla Tower are being rejected,” read the verdict.
The SC Karachi Registry, under the chairmanship of Chief Justice of Pakistan Gulzar Ahmed, had directed the commissioner to vacate the tower within a month and issued notices to the Sindh government, director of the anti-encroachment department, and other concerned agencies while rejecting the petition to review its orders for the demolition of the Nasla Tower on Monday.