KARACHI  - The Supreme Court has said that land grabbing in Karachi city is major hurdle in restoration of law and order and development of the city.A five-member larger bench on Thursday also issued contempt of court notices to Sindh chief secretary, Director Master Plan Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC), a senior member of Board of Revenue and Director Survey.The bench, headed by Justice Anwar Zaheer Jamali and including Justice Sarmad Jalal Osmani, Justice Amir Hani Muslim, Justice Gulzar Ahmed and Justice Khilji Arif Hussain, heard the case regarding implementation of its ruling on Karachi’s law and order at SC’s Karachi Registry.Additional chief secretary, Sindh Advocate General Abdul Fatah, IG Sindh Fayyaz Laghari and officials of Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC), Karachi Building Control Authority (KBCA) and Land Revenue Department appeared before the bench.Sindh chief secretary and others were issued notices over not conducting the land survey despite Sindh High Court’s directives. The court turned down Sindh advocate general’s request to the bench to not issue the show cause notice to the chief secretary. The court also summoned the ‘ailing’ senior member of Board of Revenue in the next hearing who is currently on sick leave. Moreover, the court instructed the advocate general to provide the list of all the Board of Revenue members.The KMC presented a report before the SC bench regarding the districts and towns of Karachi. Justice Gulzar remarked that the corporation sold the area that was dedicated for citizens’ leisure and amusement and did not leave any space for children’s play area as well. The records did not include the names of actual landowners who are missing.Justice Jamali inquired of revenue department officials as to whether they checked the records of properties. Responding to which, revenue officials said all records were being computerised and the department checked them in an efficient manner. Sindh Police Inspector General (IG) Mushtaq Shah said 254 policemen who took part in the operations of 1992 and 1996 had been killed. He further said that there was a decline in the incidents of kidnapping for ransom.Also during the hearing, the election commission submitted its report before the bench stating that until the census was conducted, boundaries of administrative units could not be altered. The report stated that altering the boundaries prior to conducting census would be unconstitutional as population census was a constitutional requirement for changing geographical limits of a constituency. The bench subsequently adjourned the hearing to Oct 31.The bench issued contempt of court notice to Chief Secretary Board of Revenue and Senior Director of master plan, KMC, despite request made by Advocate General Sindh to prevent issuance of the notice.The details of payments made to the family members of the martyred lawyers were also presented before the court.On Wednesday, the Supreme Court observed that every professional is paying extortion money in Karachi and laws are being framed only to serve the influential people. Justice Anwar Zaheer Jamali said that more strike calls are being given against the extortion mafia and there is no builder or trader who is not paying extortion. Karachi Police is operating at the whims of politicians and the officials are more loyal to political parties than to their own institution, Justice Anwar Jamali said. The bench expressed displeasure over all high-ranking police officers’ presence in the court, ordering the SHOs to go to their respective areas. The bench observed that the police had failed to safeguard the citizens.The bench asked DG Rangers if there was any pressure on him from any quarters. He denied there was any pressure on him, adding that the police and Rangers conducted joint operations independently.