CJP asked to end encroachments, provide alternative homes

Thanking the chief justice of Pakistan (CJP) for making Karachi’s issues the subject of the country’s highest court, and taking an interest in resolving the fundamental problems of a city of over 30 million people, the Jamaat-e-Islami leadership on Thursday requested him to order the government to provide homes to the affected families before demolishing encroachments and illegal structures.

Addressing a news conference at the party’s office, JI Karachi chief Hafiz Naeemur Rehman also requested the CJP to take strict legal action against all those responsible for the illegal sale and purchase of residential and commercial lands, as well as those who have been instrumental in establishing encroachments.

JI Karachi Public Aid Committee chief Saifuddin Advocate, and party leaders Munam Zafar Khan and Zahid Askari also spoke on the occasion. Announcing that they would become a party on the behalf of Karachi’s residents in the apex court, Rehman said the JI would not abandon the people.

“We will expose the buyers and sellers of illegal lands and illegal constructions, and assist the court in providing alternative homes to the affected residents.” The JI leader said that for the past 40 years, houses were being sold in Karachi on fake documents. “Encroachments and illegal constructions were sold to the citizens by getting them legalised from the Sindh government.”

Rehman said the provincial government has been forming only 210 union committees in the city out of the 1,500 UCs across the province. “According to the population of 15 million in the city, there should be around 700 UCs,” he added. He also announced that the party would launch the next phase of the ‘Karachi Rights Movement’ after Eid ul Azha.