SHC orders action against illegal leases in Orangi Town

The Sindh High Court has directed the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation and Katchi Abadi authorities to proceed against illegal leases in respect of two schools’ properties, known as Norwegian German and Korean schools, situated in Organi Town.

The direction came on petitions against encroachments on the government schools’ land in Orangi Town area. The petitioners have challenged the illegal conversion of the schools’ properties into residential plots.

The court on a pervious hearing had ordered the deputy commissioner of District West to take concrete steps to restrain the land grabbers from encroaching the schools’ land and submit a compliance report.

A division bench, headed by Justice Aqeel Ahmed Abbasi, observed that the DC did not comply with the court directives. The provincial law officer submitted that the DC West earlier submitted a report pertaining to Katchi Abadi, but the report was not in complete compliance with the court order.

The petitioners’ counsel Usman Farooq submitted that some schools in the name of Norwegian Campus-I, Norwegian Campus II and Norwegian technical schools were being operated in Sector 16 Section 11.5 sheet number 2, while another school in the name of Wight House and PSG was also operating in Sector 16, Orangi Town. The court directed the DC to submit a compliance report with regard to its directives on the next date of hearing.

Regarding the leases of plots, the KMC counsel submitted that the subject 12 plots were leased out in 2016; however, over concealment of facts, the KMC now wanted to take action against such illegal leases.

The court directed the KMC and director Katchi Abadi to proceed against such illegal leases, however, in accordance with the law, and if it is found that such leases were found to have been issued without lawful authority, appropriate action may be taken in accordance with the law.

The counsel for the Board of Revenue requested the court to call the sub-registrar of Orangi Town to submit a report along with the record of 12 leases of plots in Sector 16 sheet 3 of Orangi Town for verification by the court. The court directed the sub-registrar of Orangi Town to appear before the court along with the relevant record on the next date of the hearing.

The DC had earlier told court that the revenue department had not issued any lease in respect of the two schools’ properties. He said that no lease or ownership within the boundary wall of 61,057 square yard plot of Norwegian German school or 9,968 square yard plot of Korean school were issued by the revenue department or the DC. The had submitted that moveable encroachments on the Norwegian German school stand removed and now the area of 61,057 square yards of school is partially cleared while the remaining area was residential units whose record has not been provided by the Project Director Orangi Township.

Regarding the removal of encroachments from 9,968 square yard plot of the Korean school, the DC had submitted that a total of 22 constructed houses were found on 3,000 square yards wherein families were residing and out of 22 houses 12 persons have been issued leases by the KMC Katchi Abadi authorities. He said some 6,968 square yards out of 9,968 square yards have been vacated and handed over to the authorities of the KMC of Orangi Township.

The KMC had earlier submitted in comments that due to financial crises, a proposal was sent to the metropolitan commissioner for the construction of a government college and a hospital under the occupation of the Norwegian Trust and the rest of the area was marked out as residential plots to generate funds and they were given to the trustees, employees and workers of the trust. It had submitted that two plots of 600 square yards were leased to the trustees which were obtained by misrepresentation of facts and the same were used for commercial purposes. The KMC said both the leases were obtained fraudulently and used for commercial purpose for which necessary action for cancellation of the lease deed had been taken by the authorities.