(Karachi) The Supreme Court has directed the Sindh government to remove encroachments from all state land across the province, local media reported on Wednesday.

The top court's ruling comes during hearing of a case pertaining to illegal encroachments. The SC bench, headed by Chief Justice Gulzar Ahmed, directed the Board of Revenue’s (BOR) senior member to place on record a report showing details of government land under encroachment and that retrieved from land-grabbers.

The court instructed the revenue department to restore its parks and playgrounds to their original condition and clear greenbelts of all illegal occupations. The bench called for the BOR to take steps for protecting its land.

Besides, the SC ordered removal of encroachments from the forest and agriculture departments’ land and summoned reports from all deputy commissioners and Mukhtiarkars of the province in this regard.

On December 29, Chief Justice of of Pakistan Justice Gulzar Ahmed reprimanded the Sindh government officials including Provincial Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah for not implementing Supreme Court's orders of removing encroachments from Karachi, saying the city has been turned into a graveyard.

During the hearing, the chief justice expressed dismay over the failure to present report on the anti-encroachment drive in the port city. The court stated that the city has been destroyed while parks and playgrounds have vanished.