The Sindh High Court (SHC) on Friday dismissed a plea seeking contempt of court’s proceedings against the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) for removing residential quarters from Jahangir Park, Sadar.
The SHC bench was hearing the plea filed by residents residing in the houses established on the premises of Jahangir Park. They had requested the court to initiate court’s contempt proceedings against the administration for removing their residences without accommodating them.
The applicant submitted that the SHC had directed the KMC to remove the quarters established on park’s land and accommodate its citizens in Karachi’s Korangi area. “The administration had demolished our residences in Jahangir Park but did not provide us alternatives. The contempt of court’s proceedings should be initiated against the KMC for not complying with the SHC’s earlier orders,” they added.
The court observed that the applicants were not the party in the petition; therefore, their application was not maintainable. While disposing of the contempt application, the court directed the residents to become intervener in the same petition.
Earlier in September last year, the court had directed the KMC to demolish the quarters established on park’s land and provide alternate places to the residents who were residing there. The court had passed these directives while hearing the petition filed by the citizens in which they sought rehabilitation of Jahangir Park and removal of encroachments.
The court was requested by the petitioner to direct the authorities concerned to rehabilitate the park and remove the encroachments so that it could be used for public recreation once again.
The Jahangir Park has its historical importance as it was gifted to Karachiites in 1893 by a Parsi Philanthopist, Khan Behramjee.