ISLAMABAD: The Additional Attorney General on Wednesday informed the Supreme Court that the issue of Katchi Abadis (slums) across the country would be resolved after the launch of 5 million housing scheme by the prime minister.
Heading the three-judge bench, which heard the case regarding informal settlements across the country, Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Mian Saqib Nisar observed that it was the government’s job to provide facilities to the slum dwellers as they were also human and had fundamental rights.
The CJP said the construction of 5 million houses would be a time consuming process. "However, we have to take some urgent steps for betterment of residents of slum areas as no government had done done nothing for them since 1996."
He then directed the additional attorney general to present recommendations regarding removing of informal settlements in Islamabad.
The chief justice also asked the additional attorney general, “Tell the prime minister to set a time to visit informal settlements with me and see the conditions over there.”
He remarked that retired officers did not vacate government houses and kept on misusing official residences.
The court then directed that the Law and Justice Commission’s recommendations be sent to the provinces and ordered the provincial governments to submit a reply within four weeks.
APP