KARACHI: Land Utilisation Department of Sindh has issued notices to Karachi Port Trust, Port Qasim Authority (PQA) and other federal entities against the possession of the Sindh Board of Revenue’s 32,353 acres.
Filing a compliance report before the Supreme Court in compliance with its order in the Karachi law and order suo motu implementation case, Sindh Board of Revenue’s senior Member Fazal-ur-Rehman submitted that notices were issued to the federal government’s institution for encroaching excessive land of the Sindh government.
The report mentioned that KPT possesses 769.8 acres land of the provincial government: 633.525 acres at harbour sub-division in Karachi West and 136 acres at Mai Kolachi, of which the KPT Officers Housing Society was established on 130 acres.
Similarly, PQA is in possession of excess areas of 3,960 acres, at Deh Pipri, Bakran, Gangiaro and Thaddo, according to the report.
Approximately 1238.12 acres has been reclaimed by the KPT, which was originally 443.57 acres in 2000 and 2005, while 101.68 acres has been reclaimed by the PQA in Deh Bakran, Malir Karachi, which were originally 692.5 acres in 2000 and 698.93 in 2005.
The court was informed that a committee was constituted in this regard. On the court’s direction against encroachment of land, the court was informed by the West deputy commissioner that 137 notices had been issued against different land encroachers in West District under the Sindh Public Property (Removal of Encroachment) Act of 2010.
The Central DC also submitted a progress report regarding encroachment of 124.5 acres in Central District North Nazimabad that was illegally leased in the mid-90s and 2001 mentioning that all the entries were still suspended due to the ordinance.
Earlier, BoR Member Zulfiqar Shah had submitted a detailed report mentioning that 52,103 acres had been encroached by various federal and other institutions, including KPT and PQA. Others include Malir Development Authority, Malir Cantonment and Defence Housing Authority as well as individuals.
