KARACHI: The land grabbers in Karachi have been threatening to occupy a plot owned by noted scientist Sibt Murtaza, media reported on Monday.
According to details, the Sindh High Court (SHC) resumed hearing a case on Murtaza’s alleged harassment. The scientist, who has worked alongside Dr Abdul Qadeer Khan, moved the court against Law and Cooperatives and Administrator secretaries.
Murtaza told the SHC that he bought the plot in 1998 and land grabbers are threatening to occupy it. “The society administrator is in cahoots with the land mafia,” Murtaza said adding, they had been threatening to occupy the plot if they were not paid Rs5 million.
The administrator has also reportedly threatened the scientist over the phone.
The court then ordered an end to the scientist’s harassment. The SHC also issued directions stopping the termination of Murtaza’s house lease.
Last year, Faisal Edhi said that land mafia is ‘encroaching’ the centres of the foundation, forcing it to reduce its operations in rural Sindh. “The land mafia and district administration-including local police-are stopping the Edhi foundation from delivering humanitarian services in several districts of Sindh,” Edhi said.