KARACHI: The Sindh High Court (SHC) on Tuesday rejected the issuance of a stay order against the anti-encroachment operation in Karachi.

A two-member bench of the SHC heard a petition challenging the demolition of restaurants during the anti-encroachment drive. The petition was filed by the owners of hotels to challenge the demolition of the restaurants in the anti-encroachment operation to vacate occupied land along Karachi’s Super Highway.

The owners sought a stay order against the anti-encroachment drive but the court rejected to grant it. The owners stated that notice issued to them by the Sindh Building Control Authority (SBCA) was an illegal.

In the petition, the hotels’ owners pleaded the court to stop the demolition of the restaurants constructed on the plots being used for both commercial and residential purposes.

The court said that it will listen to the stance of the relevant officials. The court issued notices to SBCA director general (DG) and other parties on the plea against anti-encroachment drive.

It may be noted that court had ordered Karachi Development Authority (KDA) last year to launch a massive anti-encroachment drive in Karachi’s area of Gulistan-e-Jauhar to vacate the land occupied through China cutting.

The judgment had been passed on a plea submitted in SHC accusing the KDA of supporting the land mafia in Gulistan-e-Jauhar. The court had directed the KDA to launch a massive drive to vacate the occupied land in the area.