SC orders Sindh govt to get 229 official residences vacated

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court Friday directed the Sindh government to clear the official residences of illegal occupation within two months, allot them to government officials on merit, and submit compliance report on the next date of hearing. A three-member bench of the apex court – headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Justice Gulzar Ahmed – heard a case concerning irregularities in the allotment of official residences.

The court was informed that around 229 official residences had been occupied illegally in Sindh.

Additional Advocate General (AAJ) Sindh informed the court that around 229 government residences had been occupied illegally in the province adding that due to the coronavirus pandemic, the process of clearing the official residences of illegal occupation could not be carried out. The court was also informed that the Islamabad Police had illegally occupied around 200 government quarters and the official residence for the Inspector General of Police (IGP) had also been allotted illegally.

The court said the matter related to illegal allotments of official residences in the federal capital would be taken up on the next date of hearing. The counsel for the Capital Development Authority (CDA) informed the court that around 200 quarters had been illegally occupied by the Islamabad police adding that the official residence for the IGP Islamabad had also been allotted illegally.

He told the court that several meetings were held but the police were reluctant to vacate the quarters.

The court was further informed that around four official residences in the federal capital could not be cleared of illegal occupation, as cases were pending with the courts. The court adjourned the hearing for two months after directing the Sindh government to clear the official residences of illegal occupation within two months and allot them to the government employees on merit.