Entire Karachi has been turned into garbage: SC

KARACHI: The Supreme Court on Tuesday took notice of the unplanned road projects and digging in different areas of the city and observed that the entire city had been turned into a giant garbage heap.

Hearing a petition about traffic issues in the DHA, the SC’s bench headed by Justice Gulzar Ahmed observed what will be the outcome of the road projects as the Sindh government had done nothing for them. The court questioned the counsel for DHA and government why there was no traffic management plan for the last several years and what was the benefit of the Gizri Flyover.

The bench asked the counsel if the digging process of roads will continue forever. The court observed that every time roads are dug without any planning and giving alternate traffic plans multiplies miseries of commuters and area residents.

The court observed that all the debris of the underpass is lying at a public park near the Punjab Colony and the underpass project had not been completed. The court asked the DHA law officer when the citizens would be able to use the roads without any difficulties.

The counsel of DHA residents submitted that the DHA had made Khayaban-e-Shamsheer one way, resulting in hardships to the area residents due to speedy vehicles. The DHA counsel submitted that one way traffic scheme was decided due to frequent traffic jams at the Khadda Market in DHA. The court directed the law officer to place the application regarding one way of Khayaban-e-Shamsheer before the three-member bench for further hearing.

Meanwhile, the Supreme Court directed the counsel of K-Electric to submit reply on a petition against the removal of 67 disabled employees from service. The court was hearing the petition of the labour union against the removal of disabled employees by the K-Electric. The petitioner submitted that K-Electric had removed 67 disabled employees after the privatization of the company despite the 2% job quota for disabled persons in government and private departments.

The K-Electric counsel submitted that a private firm has been hired for appointing contract employees and the company does not have enough jobs to accommodate the disabled. The Supreme Court bench asked the counsel under which law the K-Electric is hiring employees through a contractor and directed the counsel to file a reply on the petition.