57 billboards in COD, PNS Karsaz still not removed, SC told

Cantonment Board Faisal tells apex court 26 billboards in COD and 31 in PNS Karsaz still remain

Karachi

The Cantonment Board Faisal (CBF) told the Supreme Court on Monday that there were still 57 billboards remaining within the jurisdictions of the Central Ordnance Depot (COD) and the PNS Karsaz.

Filing a compliance report to the Supreme Court on the removal of illegal billboards in Karachi, the CBF submitted that it had removed 241 billboards within its jurisdiction. The Civil Aviation Authority, the Pakistan Air Force, and the Railways had also removed 35 billboards from their respective jurisdictions.

The CBF submitted that 26 billboards were still installed within the jurisdictions of COD station headquarters and 31 in PNS Karsaz and as these areas fell within the administrative control of the army and the navy, these authorities had to report on their part in terms of the removal of the billboards.

The Cantonment Board Clifton also filed a compliance report mentioning that all billboards - 228 - within its jurisdiction had been removed.

The apex court had directed the head of civic agencies and cantonment boards to remove the billboards from their respective jurisdictions within three days.

The court was informed by additional attorney general Salman Talibuddin that 98 percent of the billboards in the city had been removed and sought further time for the removal of the remaining ones. The court had directed the heads of civic agencies and cantonment boards remove the billboards from the stretch of the foundation and submit a compliance report on July 29.

The court had also warned that it would frame contempt charges against the heads of civic agencies and cantonment boards if the billboards installed illegally on footpaths were not removed.

The court had observed that the permission for setting up billboards could not be granted by land owners of civic agencies as the act was in violation of the fundamental rights of the citizens.

At the July 22 hearing of the case, the court had directed the heads of civic agencies and cantonment boards to remove the remaining billboards from the stretch of their foundations within three days and submit their reports before the court on July 29.