SC orders the removal of encroachments on roadsides and footpaths across Pakistan

The Karachi Registry of the Supreme Court has delivered a detailed verdict concerning the case on encroachments in Karachi.

The Court has mandated the elimination of illegal structures on roads and sidewalks nationwide. Instructions have been given to distribute the verdict to the Attorney General, all Advocates General, and pertinent government bodies.

PEMRA is instructed to disseminate a public service announcement about this matter.

The court’s decision requires relevant agencies to dismantle these obstructions, with costs borne by those responsible.

The court has tasked the Additional Attorney General, Advocate General, and KMC legal advisors to submit a report verifying the execution of this directive.

As per the Supreme Court’s mandate, both federal and provincial authorities are to clear the encroachments within a span of three days. Regrettably, the Supreme Court observes that obstructions on the roads are common, with offenders often viewing it as their prerogative to extend their possessions into public spaces, going so far as to place generators on the sidewalks.

The utterance further notes that governmental entities too are complicit in setting up such impediments, emphasizing that no entity holds the right to hinder the public’s freedom of movement.