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ISLAMABAD:
The Federal Constitutional Court (FCC) on Friday sought a detailed report from Pakistan Railways (PR) on the widespread encroachments and illegal occupation of its lands.
The court ordered the department to explain what steps it has taken to reclaim its property and the action initiated against the officials responsible for allowing the encroachments.
A two-judge bench comprising Justice Hasan Azhar Rizvi and Justice KK Agha heard the case related to illegal occupation of railway land.
During the proceedings, Justice Rizvi questioned whether “there is anyone there to stop the invasion and occupation of railway-owned lands,” adding that railway lands are a trust of the nation.
He lamented that at the time of Pakistan’s creation, the railway system was robust, but “today the number of trains and tracks has been reduced by half.” He said hospitals and railway clubs had disappeared, while “slums and industries have been built on railway land”.
The judge asked if the land was intended to be used for encroachment and if the RP had any plans to use the land if it were reclaimed.
PR’s lawyer claimed that the Punjab government had allotted 1,359 kanals of railway land in Rawalpindi to a katchi abadi, and even the Rawalpindi railway station was under this land.
Lawyer Shah Khawar added that Punjab had recognized its mistake and that 1,288 kanals had been formally transferred back to the People’s Republic.
Justice Rizvi criticized the department and said that “railway officials sit in air-conditioned rooms”, leaving the land vulnerable to illegal occupation. “If the agents remain in the air-conditioned rooms, an invasion will occur,” he observed.
