KARACHI: The government of Sindh and the mayor of Karachi Wasim Akhtar have a week to demolish all the ‘illegal’ buildings in Punjab Colony, Delhi Colony, PNT Colony and Gizri Road areas of the metropolis.

The Supreme Court issued the order on Thursday while hearing cases concerning the restoration of the Karachi Circular Railway and the demolition of city encroachments.

Attorney General of Pakistan Anwar Mansoor Khan, Sindh Advocate General Salman Talibuddin, Sindh Chief Secretary Mumtaz Shah and officials from the Clifton Cantonment Board appeared before the court.

The government seems to not want to run the KCR, Chief Justice Gulzar Ahmed said during the Karachi Registry hearing.

“How are such massive buildings next to Kausar Medico being given the green signal? You were trusted with government land. What exactly is going on [in the board],” the court remarked.

“The district administration, the Sindh government and the federal government have all been unsuccessful. The situation in Karachi has now become dire,” said Justice Ahmed.

He remarked that the katchi abadis in Lines Area should be eliminated and the residents shifted to the multi-storey buildings. “They [katchi abadis] hang from Quaid-i-Azam’s mausoleum like a decorative piece of jewelry. A flyover should not have been constructed in the area,” he observed.

The Secretary and Advocate-General of Railways blamed the federal government for postponing the decision. The top judge said the project is being delayed because of the government officials’ political agenda.

He said all illegal buildings should be demolished, adding he doesn’t want to hear any excuses.