The Sindh High Court (SHC) on Friday directed the immediate removal of encroachments on green belts and service roads along the M-9 motorway, while ordering a joint demarcation of the right of way (ROW) of disputed private lands within 60 days.
The court instructed all parties to maintain the status quo on privately owned land until the demarcation is complete. The ruling came in response to petitions alleging unauthorized construction by the National Highway Authority (NHA), Frontier Works Organisation (FWO), and their subsidiary, which reportedly blocked access to private lands, endangered public safety, and violated environmental regulations.
Petitioners also claimed that a roundabout at Sohrab Goth had been unlawfully obstructed, disrupting traffic and causing public inconvenience. They stated that no acquisition proceedings, notices, or compensation had been issued for privately owned land.
In response, the NHA and other respondents denied exceeding the legally notified 670-foot-wide ROW, noting that the first 16 kilometers of the motorway remained unfenced due to urban expansion and private land pockets, which would be acquired legally when required.
A provincial law officer emphasized that green belts, service roads, and drainage channels are public property and cannot be used without following legal procedures.
The division bench, comprising Justice Adnan-ul-Karim Memon and Justice Zulfiqar Ali Sangi, ruled that any construction beyond the demarcated ROW or on land vested in another authority would be unlawful. Revenue authorities have been directed to carry out a joint demarcation in the presence of all stakeholders, and no construction is to be undertaken outside the notified ROW.
The court also instructed the Karachi commissioner to restore drainage infrastructure and remove unauthorized structures, while directing the Sindh Environmental Protection Agency to verify environmental approvals for ancillary facilities. An implementation committee formed by the chief secretary will monitor compliance and submit quarterly reports to the court.
