Supreme Court reprimands the government for being unable to finalize the policy on katchi abadis and low income housing for many months Supreme Court says that ‘it is the constitutional obligation of the State without any exception to provide shelter to.. the poor and the shelterless’ SC says that ‘civic agencies, including CDA, DHA and the private sector has launched many housing schemes and many have been completed but no reasonable percentage in such housing schemes has been provided for low-cost and social housing while rich and affluent are doled out plots for a luxurious life. This kind of demarcation and discrimination also poses a potential threat to the State’. SC directs governments to prepare a bill for provision of inexpensive, low cost housing and social housing for the inhabitants of slum areas and shelterless people to be tabled before the Parliament and Provincial Assemblies, with a fixed timeframe and tentative budget. SC further directs the government to appoint a commission consisting of housing experts Tasneem Siddiqui and Arif Hasan to oversee this process.[news link]
