The Supreme Court of Pakistan has taken a significant step by issuing a contempt notice to Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah in the Gujjar Nala implementation case. The court’s decision came during a hearing of the case at the Karachi Registry, presided over by a two-member bench comprising Justice Muhammad Ali Mazhar and Justice Syed Hasan Azhar Rizvi.
The contempt notice was issued in response to a petition filed against Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah for his alleged failure to implement a previous court decision related to the Gujjar Nala project.
Additionally, the Supreme Court summoned the Sindh chief secretary, commissioner of Karachi, and advocate general for Sindh to appear before the court in relation to the case.
The Case Background
The Gujjar Nala case dates back to 2021 when the Supreme Court issued a written order in an anti-encroachment case. In this order, the court directed the relevant authorities to undertake the expansion work of the Gujjar and Orangi Nullahs, waterways in Karachi. The court’s decision included the annulment of all stay orders that had been issued against the expansion project by tribunals and the Sindh High Court.
The then Chief Justice of Pakistan, Gulzar Ahmed, led the bench that ordered the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) and the Sindh government to continue their work on the project. Furthermore, the court instructed the authorities to compensate the affected individuals according to the law.
The contempt notice issued to Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah highlights the court’s determination to ensure the timely and effective implementation of its previous directives and decisions, particularly in matters that impact the welfare of citizens and the development of critical infrastructure projects.
