ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court directed the Sindh government to submit a progress report on cutting of trees from forests in six weeks.
A three-member bench of the court headed by Justice Sheikh Azmat Saeed heard the case.
At the outset of hearing, Justice Azmat Saeed asked was Sindh government satisfied with its performance?
The Additional Advocate General Sindh said that the provincial government had got vacated 2400,000 acre land from grabbers.
The Secretary Forest Sindh informed the court that the department was planting saplings on vacated land.
He said that lease of 52,000 acres of land was cancelled.
On complaints from the petitioner that the forest department officials were taking bribes, the Secretary Forest assured the court that action would be taken against corrupt officials.
He said that illegal allotment of 78,000 acres of land was also cancelled while 145,000 acres of land was got vacated from grabbers.
The petitioner said that the grabbers would again occupied the land if the court did not formulate a policy about forest land.
Justice Azmat Saeed remarked that the vacated land would only be used for forests and the land would not be used for other purposes.
Later the court sought progress report and adjourned hearing for six weeks.
APP