Anti-encroachment drive along nullahs in Karachi begins
The owners of commercial buildings and shops have been directed to vacate the area.
KARACHI (Dunya News) - Sindh government on Wednesday has launched a major anti-encroachment drive along drainage nullahs in Karachi.
Sources said that on the first day, illegal constructions including shops and shades constructed near nullahs in Central District will be demolished. The owners of commercial buildings and shops have been directed to vacate the area.
According to deputy commissioner, illegal constructions in Nullah Stop, New Karachi, Cafe Piyala and other surrounding areas would be removed in the first phase of anti-encroachment drive.
The grand operation will be supervised by concerned deputy commissioners along with teams of law enforcement agencies while additional officials of the anti-encroachment department were also summoned from other parts of Sindh.
Program for Karachi will have full support of Pak Army: COAS
Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa said that the country’s armed forces will not disappoint the people in difficult times and the program for Karachi will have the full support of the Pakistan Army.
As per a statement issued by the Inter-Services Public relations (ISPR), COAS General Qamar Javed Bajwa arrived in Karachi on one-day official visit and was flown over the city for aerial reconnaissance of the impact of urban flooding in Karachi.
He reached the Corps Headquarters where he was received by Corps Commander Karachi Lieutenant General Humayun Aziz where he was briefed about the worst flooding in Karachi and army’s support to civil administration across Sindh and particularly Karachi.
The COAS was apprised that unprecedented rains, unplanned population settlement as well as infrastructural issues compounded the problem.
CJP expresses anger over Karachi administration
Earlier, Chief Justice of Pakistan Justice Gulzar Ahmed had expressed anger over administration in a case pertaining to encroachments on drains in Karachi.
Justice Gulzar Ahmed remarked, “Why did the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) come if the Sindh government was cleaning nullahs? What about encroachments on drain in Urdu Bazar?”
Karachi Commissioner iftikhar Ali Shalwani told the apex court that the encroachments have been removed in Urdu Bazar.
Sindh advocate general showed pictures of clean drains to the top court. Justice Gulzar Ahmed said, “What are you trying to prove by showing these pictures? You are claiming that the entire city is clean after showing pictures of two drains. Why are areas inundated if nullahs are clean?”
The advocate general – while expressing unawareness why the NDMA started cleanliness operation in Karachi – sought time till August 30 to clean all nullahs. The court also ordered to clean the Bath Island drain.
