KCR revival: Officials reprimanded for failure to comply with SC order

The Supreme Court Thursday took to task officials of federal and Sindh governments for their failure to revive Karachi Circular Railway according to its earlier order and warned to issue "contempt of court" notices to federal and provincial governments for not complying with its order.

At Karachi Registry, a three-member bench of the SC headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Justice Gulzar Ahmed and comprising Justice Faisal Arab and Justice Sajjad Ali Shah reprimanded the relevant officials of both governments for shifting the responsibility of revival of KCR while hearing the case related to it.

Mayor Karachi Wasim Akhtar, Advocate General (AG) Sindh Salman Talabuddin, Secretary Railway Habib ur Rehman Gilani, Commissioner Karachi Iftikhar Shalwani and other relevant officials appeared during the proceedings of the case.

At the outset of hearing, court inquired from AG Sindh about implementation of its earlier, in which court had ordered to revive KCR in one month. AG readout the order and told the court that this project has been included China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC. "We have sent the framework for revival of KCR to federal government," the AG stated.

The court remarked that government didn't want to put KCR back on track when Secretary Railway told the court that federal government is not causing delay and fulfilling its responsibilities and put the blame on provincial government for causing hindrances.

"Come with me and I will tell you, how the work is done", CJP remarked and stated that apparently you people don't want to work.

CJP warned to issue "contempt of court" notices to Chief Minister Sindh, Secretary Railway as well as Mayor Karachi and Commissioner Karachi for not complying with the court orders.

AG Sindh giving the arguments termed the statement of Secretary Railway untrue and said that removal of encroachments on KCR track and its handing over to Sindh Government was the responsibility of Railway.

CJP remarked that both federal and provincial governments have their own political agenda and are not doing the work for your own political compromises.

The court also took to task Secretary Railway and asked him, "Don't tell the court stories". "Tell us why KCR has not been revived so far.

Secretary Railway contended that it is the responsibility of Sindh government, at which the CJP said that let Chief Minister be summoned and ask whose responsibility is this?"

The court stated that meetings are being held for years without giving the solution for revival of KCR. Court stated that shifting the blame would not help to resolve the issue.

The top judge has directed Commissioner Karachi to evacuate the occupied land in one week and ordered to demolish all the buildings, housing societies and petrol pumps illegally constructed on railways land. "We want Karachi Circular Railways in original form," he added

The court also sought the copy of decision of Executive Committee of National Economic Council (Ecnec) that KCR had been handed over to Sindh government.