–7,882 govt accommodations remain occupied in the financial hub
–Since 1970s, 4,100 housing units have been illegally occupied by families of retired govt employees
ISLAMABAD: In pursuance of the directives of the Supreme Court, Ministry of Housing and Works (H&W) spurred into action on Wednesday and decided to vacate the illegal and unauthorised occupation of government-owned accommodations in Karachi.
A senior official told Pakistan Today that in the first phase, the illegal and unauthorised occupation of government accommodations would be vacated in the financial hub where a total of 7,882 government residences were illegally occupied, including those held by families of the deceased government servants since 1970s.
The official said that the unauthorised occupation of government accommodations in other cities including in the federal capital would also be vacated in the second phase.
It is pertinent to mention here that Supreme Court on May 10, 2018, took notice of illegal and unauthorised occupation of government residences in a human rights case and directed the federal government as well as the provincial governments to provide details of such properties. Seeking a report from the related departments with respect to irregularities in the allotment of the residences within 15 days, the top court had given an ultimatum of one month to all illegal allottees to vacate the government residences.
In pursuance of the direction of the Supreme Court in Human Rights Case no 20746/2018, a meeting was held here on Wednesday which was chaired by federal secretary of H&W and attended by Zulfiqar Ali Shah, Secretary (General Administration) of Sindh government, Lt Col Arshad (GSO-1 Works) of Sindh Rangers and Sindh Police DIG Dr Amin Yousufzai.
The purpose of the meeting was to formulate a strategy to get vacated the government accommodation from illegal and unauthorised occupants. During the meeting, it was principally decided that the government accommodation shall be vacated from the occupants.
The H&W ministry has decided that the government accommodation shall be vacated from illegal and unauthorised occupants. To strategise it, the next meeting shall be held at Karachi in the coming days.
The advocate on record informed the Supreme Court about the unauthorised occupants of government land at which Chief Justice Saqib Nisar inquired about the efforts made by the state to vacate the residences from these occupants.
The major chunk of the unauthorised occupation of government-owned land is in Karachi, where a total of 7,882 such accommodations are at the pool of estate office, out of which 4,100 housing units are in the occupation of retired government employees or families of deceased government servants since 1970s.
The association of retired employees approached different quarters including the President of Pakistan, Sindh High Court and Supreme Court for the grant of ownership rights. While the country’s chief executive rejected their request, the Supreme Court also dismissed the petition.
