Sindh High Court (SHC) on Friday dismissed a plea seeking contempt of court's proceedings against Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) for removing residential quarters from Jehangir Park, Sader. The SHC bench was hearing the plea filed by the residents, who were residing in the houses established in the premises of Jehangir Park, requesting the court to initiate court's contempt proceedings against the administration for removing their residences without accommodating them.
The applicant submitted that the SHC had directed KMC to remove the quarters established on park's land and accommodate its citizens in Karachi's Korangi area. The administration had demolished our residents in Jehangir Park but did not provide us alternatives. The contempt of court's proceedings should be initiated against KMC for not complying with the SHC's earlier orders, they added. The court observed that the applicants were not the party in the petition; therefore, their application is not maintainable.
While disposing of the contempt application, the court directed the residents to become intervener in the same petition. Earlier in September last year, the court had directed KMC to demolish the quarters established on park's land and provide alternate places to the residents who were residing there. The court had passed these directives while hearing the petition filed by the citizens in whom they sought rehabilitation of Jehangir Park and removal of encroachment from it.
The court was requested by the petitioner to direct the authorities concerned to rehabilitate the park and remove the encroachment from it so that it can be used for public recreation once again. The Jehangir Park has its historical importance as it was gifted to Karachiites in 1893 by a Parsi Philanthropist, Khan Behramjee.