SBCA DG told to decide complaints against commercial use of amenity plots in PECHS

The Sindh High Court (SHC) has directed the Sindh Building Control Authority (SBCA) director general (DG) to decide complaints against the commercial use of amenity plots in the PECHS area.

The petitioner, Altaf Shakoor, had submitted in two petitions that as many amenity plots in the Kathiawar Cooperative Housing Society were being used for commercial purposes contrary to the provisions of the law and decisions of the superior courts. A counsel for the petitioner, Khurrum Lakhani, submitted that one amenity plot was being used as a marriage hall while the other plot was being used as a commercial private school in violation of the relevant town planning and building regulations laws.

He submitted that private respondents had raised unauthorised constructions on the amenity plots, whereas, the SBCA was not taking action against the misuse of the amenity plots despite complaints submitted to the SBCA DG.

The counsel submitted that he would be satisfied if appropriate directions were issued to the DG to decide the complaints within reasonable time. A division bench of the high court headed by Justice Yousuf Ali Sayeed after hearing the arguments directed the SBCA DG to examine the complaints of the petitioner and decide the same after hearing the all parties concerned within four to six weeks.

Detention case

The SHC issued notices to federal and provincial law officers, Sindh inspector general of police (IGP) and others on a petition against illegal detention of a builder from the DHA area.

Petitioner Ghulam Shabbir submitted in the plea that personnel of law enforcement agencies raided the office of Javed Iqbal and took him away along with two other employees Tahir and Abu Bakar.

The petitioner’s counsel submitted that neither were the police disclosing whereabouts of the detained persons nor were they providing details of cases against them. The SHC was requested to direct the police and law enforcement agencies to produce the detained men before the court and provide details of cases, if any, against them.

After the preliminary hearing of the petition, a division bench of the high court headed by SHC Acting Chief Justice Zafar Ahmed Rajput issued notices to the federal and provincial law officers, Sindh IGP and others, calling their comments on the next date of hearing.