The Supreme Court of Pakistan has directed relevant authorities to dismantle barriers outside prominent buildings, including the Sindh Rangers headquarters, the Chief Minister House, and the Governor House. The court has ordered a report on this action to be presented within three days.
Chief Justice of Pakistan Qazi Faez Isa emphasized the illegality of obstructing public pathways during a session on Thursday. “No one is allowed to obstruct the free movement of people […] Blocking roads and creating obstacles is illegal,” he stated.
At the Supreme Court’s Karachi Registry, Justice Isa made these remarks while presiding over a three-member bench, including Justice Naeem Akhtar Afghan and Justice Jamal Khan Mandokhail. The bench was hearing cases related to various issues, including encroachment and the Nasla Tower.
At the beginning of the hearing, the Chief Justice highlighted the irony of federal and provincial governments encroaching on the land themselves and instructed authorities to clear the roads.
The court also directed the attorney general to relay this order to the federal government and to ensure that a copy of the court’s directive is sent to all pertinent institutions, particularly those concerned with security.
Chief Justice Isa further instructed that costs incurred from removing these encroachments should be recovered from the encroachers themselves.
He proposed a solution for maintaining security without disrupting public access: “Place the [security] containers inside the Governor House. Why do you put them outside?” He stressed that encroachments should be cleared, even if they occur within the Supreme Court’s premises.
The hearing was adjourned and scheduled to resume the following day, Friday.
