April 27, 2024

Sindh government has removed the barricades placed outside the CM House on the orders of the top court KARACHI: The Supreme Court on Saturday ordered the federal and provincial governments to clear public roads and pavements of all encroachments within three days. The development comes after the top court, on Thursday, directed the authorities in Karachi to remove barricades placed outside various buildings including Sindh Rangers headquarters, CM House and Governor House. A three-member bench, led by Chief Justice of Pakistan Qazi Faez Isa and comprising Justice Naeem Akhtar Afghan and Justice Jamal Khan Mandokhail, hearing a set of petitions regarding encroachment issued the written order today. In its order, the apex court said that the encroachments on public roads and pavements are made by those paid out of the public exchequer “Occupants of properties also assume that the pavement running in front of their property is theirs, to do with it as they please. Generators are also installed thereon. Pavements are for the use of the public; access thereto and use thereof cannot be prevented or restricted,” said the order.  It added that everyone, including the provincial and federal governments, and all those under them must abide by the law and cannot encroach upon public roads and pavements nor can block them which may stop or restrict public use thereof. Speaking about barriers that are placed to protect the buildings from terrorist attacks, the court stated that security can be ensured by placing the barriers within the premises. “Therefore, all are directed […] to clear public roads and pavements of all encroachments within three days, failing which the same should be demolished/removed by the relevant authority and the cost incurred thereon shall be recovered from those who encroached thereon,” the order added. The SC also said that this order to remove encroachments is applicable across Pakistan. Meanwhile, the Sindh government has removed the barricades placed outside the CM House on the orders of the top court. Source: https://www.thenews.com.pk/latest/1182831-sc-orders-federal-provincial-govts-to-remove-encroachments-within-3-days

At least 70 people have died from countrywide flooding in Kenya, a government spokesperson said Friday as authorities ordered more evacuations of people from at-risk areas due to ongoing heavy rainfall. “The official tally of fellow Kenyans who regrettably have lost their lives due to the flooding situation now stands at 70,” Isaac Maigua Mwaura wrote on X, adding this is “contrary to other figures.” Earlier Friday, a truck carrying people in Makueni County, southern Kenya, “was swept away by raging waters,” according to the Kenyan Red Cross, which described it as “a distressing incident.” More than 13,300 households have been displaced in the flooding, which has destroyed 22 roads, and affected 26 schools. The Red Cross says it has rescued 302 people since the onset of the heavy rain in March. This comes as Kenyan President William Ruto announced Thursday that he has authorized emergency crews to evacuate people living along riverbanks and other affected areas forcibly. “Unfortunately, we will have to move some of them even without them agreeing, because otherwise, they put themselves in danger,” Ruto said. The president said that he is working with multi-agency teams to “provide adequate support to all those in need and to move citizens who are in dangerous areas, that may be susceptible to floods, away from those areas.” According to the Red Cross, 26 of Kenya’s 47 counties have been affected by the flooding. On Thursday, the Kenya Meteorological Department issued an advisory, explaining that heavy rainfall will continue in several parts of Kenya, including Nairobi, although the intensity is likely to reduce on April 28. The flooding in East Africa has also affected Tanzania and Burundi. The Tanzanian Prime Minister Kassim Majaliwa said on Thursday that at least 155 people have been killed by flooding in the country. Source: https://edition.cnn.com/2024/04/26/africa/kenya-flooding-intl/index.html

Source: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/liveblog/2024/4/27/israels-war-on-gaza-live-israel-bombards-gaza-as-student-protests-spread