Karachi: The Supreme Court (SC) has banned the commercialisation of residential and amenity plots in Karachi, a news source reported. The apex court also ordered Sindh Building Control Authority (SBCA) to demolish all illegal constructions across the city.
A two-member bench of Justice Gulzar Ahmed and Justice Sajjad Ali Shah decided on the ban. The panel also raised the issue of construction of illegal marriage halls, plazas, and shopping malls. The court observed that several commercial buildings, including marriage halls and CNG stations, were sprouting across the city. It directed SBCA to remove all such encroachments from the Jam Sadiq Ali Park area within four weeks.
Additionally, the court ordered SBCA to cease issuing no-objection certificates (NOCs) for construction of commercial buildings without the Environmental Protection Agency’s approval.
The issued court order has barred the Master Plan Department of SBCA from allowing changes in the use of land. The ban extends to other agencies of the city and provincial governments as well.
SC has asked for details on all wedding halls, plazas, and shopping malls constructed in Karachi within the last forty years. It also directed the Sindh government to provide recommendations for restoring the city into the state it was in before this time period.
