Half of the High-Rise Buildings in Karachi Are Illegal: Sindh Minister

Sindh Minister for Local Governments, Saeed Ghani, has revealed that half of the skyscrapers in Karachi have been built illegally.

He disclosed this information in a Sindh Assembly session during a debate on the private resolution moved by Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal (MMA) Member of Provincial Assembly (MPA) Syed Abdul Rashid. The resolution demanded a ban on high rise buildings in Lyari.

The Sindh minister held the Sindh Building Control Authority (SBCA) for the illegal skyscrapers in the capital city of the province.

“Around 50% of the buildings in Karachi are against the rules and Sindh Building Control Authority is responsible for it. People are living in these building and we can’t demolish them,” said Ghani.

He assured the members that the government will take steps to prevent this practice. After the minister’s assurance, Abdul Rashid withdrew his resolution.

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Anti-encroachment Drive in Karachi

There is an anti-encroachment drive going on in major cities across Pakistan. In Karachi, the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) is spearheading the anti-encroachment operations in collaboration with other civic bodies.

The drive has entered a crucial phase now as authorities have demolished over 1000 shops in four markets of Saddar in a bid to restore Empress Market to its original form.

However, the action did not go well with the shopkeepers and some of the parliamentarians as well.

For one, the ruling party Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI)’s MPA raised objection over the operation, stating that he does not oppose the court orders to raze the illegal buildings and shops. However, KMC and the district administration are overstepping their mandate in doing so, he said.

He also said that the authorities should not demolish the billboards and neon light signs, as people have been paying taxes to KMC for these signboards.

Notably, the anti-encroachment drive in Saddar was started upon the directives of Chief Justice of Pakistan.

Via: Tribune