SHC seeks comments on plea against encroachments, land allotment in Kirthar Park

The Sindh High Court (SHC) on Friday directed the chief secretary to file comments with regard to the allotment of land and encroachments in the Kirthar National Park.

The direction came on a petition against the allotment of land and encroachments in the park. Petitioner Syed Mehmood Akhtar Naqvi submitted that some portion of the park had been encroached while some portion had been allotted to a private builder for a housing scheme.

He said such allotment and encroachments were unlawful, and requested the court to direct the forest department and other authorities concerned to remove them. A division bench, headed by Chief Justice Ahmed Ali M Sheikh, observed that chief secretary had been directed to ensure that not a single inch of the park was occupied by any builder or person and to submit a compliance report.

The court observed that the matter pertains to the allotment of the Kirthar National Park and allotment of its some land to the private builder. It directed the chief secretary to appear in person and file parawise comments on the petition.

KMC cancels auction

The Karachi Metropolitan Corporation told the SHC that the proceedings of an auction for the collection of the entry fee of public parks in city had been cancelled.

Filing comments on a petition against the auction process for the collection of the entry fee, it stated that it was maintaining all parks and playgrounds and public had access to these parks without any charges.

The KMC’s director parks submitted that no cause of action occurred as the KMC had cancelled all auction proceedings for the collection of the entry fee. He said that all citizens had free access to parks and playgrounds. A division bench, headed by Justice Irfan Saadat Khan, after taking the comments on record, adjourned the hearing till September 7.

The SHC had earlier stopped the finalization of the auction process for collecting entry fees at various public parks in the city or issuance of any work order.

Petitioner Tariq Mansoor advocate submitted in the petition that the KMC had issued a public notice regarding the auction of the collection of the entry fee at various public parks, which was contrary to the orders of the Supreme Court.

He submitted that the KMC is going to auction licences to collect entry fees for Clifton Park, Amir Khusro Park in Clifton, Jheel Park, Gulshan-e-Jinnah (Polo Ground), Hill Park and Beach Park and fixed different rates worth millions of rupees for these parks, which was tantamount to commercialising the amenity space of public.

The court was requested to declare the impugned public notice for the auctioning of parks for the collection of entry fees as illegal and violation of the SC order in the Naimatullah Khan case which directed the KMC to maintain public parks for the citizens of Karachi free of cost.