SHC directs DG SBCA to fix responsibility on illegal buildings built in Karachi

KARACHI: The Sindh High Court (SHC) on Thursday directed the director-general (DG) Sindh Building Control Authority (SBCA) to fix the responsibility of every illegal construction allowed in the city and submit a list of officers who approved the construction of such illegal structures.

The directions came from a two-judge bench headed by Justice Zafar Ahmed Rajput while hearing a petition challenging the construction of a five-story building in violation of the approved plan of ground plus one in Nazimabad.

A deputy director of SBCA informed the bench that despite serving notices for vacating the building the occupants were still living in the building.

Read more: SBCA stopped from demolishing Makkah Terrace till Nov 8

The bench observed that the deputy director was naïve to believe that the occupant would vacate the building merely on receiving notices.

The deputy director submitted that the SBCA would write to commissioner Karachi to seek help in getting the building vacated.

The bench observed that writing such letters and making them part of the file would not help and directed the builder to initiate the process of demolishing the building or criminal proceedings against the builder would be launched.

The petitioner Muhammad Hussain informed the court that the title of the plot on which the illegal construction was carried out was not clear as there were 15 claimants of the land.

Read more: SHC orders authorities to raze three more illegal projects

The bench showed its concern as to how the construction plan was approved for the plot title of which was disputed.

The bench directed the SBCA to place the entire record of granting permission of construction on the disputed plot before it on November 29.