SC orders removal of billboards in Karachi

The Supreme Court on Monday ordered the removal of all billboards and signboards from public and private properties in Karachi, as the judges expressed serious concern over the lack of civic amenities in the city, reported 24NewsHD TV channel.

An apex court bench headed by Chief Justice Gulzar Ahmed passed these orders while hearing a case concerning the port city at its Karachi Registry.

During the proceedings, the court gave full authority to the Karachi commissioner to execute the orders and also directed the Sindh government to complete the underpasses and flyovers within the stipulated timeframe.

As the provincial government was also ordered to complete fencing and other tasks at the earliest, the court remarked that the governments’ “earnings” would cease to exist if they did their job.

The commissioner was told that he was fully authorised for the assigned task and should also remove the dangerous signboards from the private properties as well.

As Chief Justice Gulzar asked how billboards were erected at public properties, the counsel for an advertisement company informed the court that the KMC (Karachi Metropolitan Corporation) was making money by allowing their installation.

The court also expressed annoyance over the loadshedding situation in the city and remarked that cases must be registered against the K-Electric for the deaths caused by electrocution during rains in the city.

Similarly, the court grilled the railways secretary when he informed the court that the removal of illegal structures/ encroachments had been completed for launching the Karachi Circular Railway project.

But the Supreme Court wasn’t satisfied with the answer, observing that the railways authorities were playing a game with the judiciary and the one-year period given to them had expired.