Nasla Tower residents told to vacate building by 27th

KARACHI: The Nasla Tower residents have been issued a notice to vacate the building by October 27 or face legal action. The notice was issued on October 12 by an official of the District East.

Last month, the Supreme Court of Pakistan had rejected a review petition that requested the court to take back its order to demolish Nasla Tower. The order mentions that the Karachi commissioner has to submit a compliance report on the Supreme Court's instructions and ensure the building is vacated.

Hence, the order said that all those refusing the court's order to vacate the building will have to face legal action.

"Take notice that you are required to vacate the building i.e. Nasla Tower within (15) days," reads the notice.

"In case of failure, necessary proceedings under Section 3 of Sindh Public Property (Removal of Encroachment) Act, 2010 may be initiated against you, or other coercive action may be taken."

Since the order has been dated October 12, the residents must vacate the building by October 27 (15 days time).

Last month, the Supreme Court rejected the review petition that sought the court reverse its decision to order the tower be demolished.

During the hearing, the lawyer representing Nasla Tower, Munir A. Malik, had told the court that the commissioner is "lying in his report".

"You are sitting here to ensure justice. If you simply send someone to take a look at the service lane, you will see whether or not it has encroachments," Malik had said to the court.

The chief justice remarked that "there is no service lane", to which the counsel said that "if we have encroached upon the service road, then you may go ahead and order the tower demolished".

CJP Ahmed had said that is what the court has ordered.

The lawyer had said that this case does not concern the Sindh government, or the federal government, and has nothing to do with the Sindhi Muslim Society.

"We have purchased land from the federal government, not occupied it. Several similar buildings have been constructed on Sharah-e-Faisal and 23 such other plots were allotted," he added.

The chief justice had asked: "Tell me, how did Nasla Tower go from 780 yards to 1,121 yards?"

"If you buy a property without reviewing it properly, is it our job to get you back your money?" he had remarked.

The lawyer had insisted that no encroachment had taken place, to which the chief justice said: "You have encroached upon public land."