Illegal constructions continue unchecked in Karachi, PA told

The Sindh Assembly was informed on Friday that the menace of illegal constructions in Karachi had been continuing unchecked in a number of localities as a ‘big mafia’ was behind such unlawful activities.

The admission to this effect on the part of the Sindh government came in the house as Local Government Minister Saeed Ghani responded to a call attention notice of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf lawmaker Bilal Abdul Ghaffar. The call attention notice pertained to the issue of illegal constructions in the area of Karachi Administration Society in District East.

The local govt minister conceded in the house that illegal constructions had been taking place at a number of areas in the city including the Karachi Administration Society.

He said stern action would be taken against any government official if evidence was found against them regarding their involvement in facilitating illegal constructions.

Ghani admitted that the demolition force of the Sindh Building Control Authority had shortage of personnel, which had hampered action against illegal constructions in the city. He added that a big mafia was involved in such unscrupulous acts in the city.

Makeshift bazaars

Ghani informed the PA that the provincial government would establish makeshift bazaars at 25 different locations in the city for selling consumer goods on discounted rates.

Responding to a point of order raised by opposition legislator of the PTI Khurrum Sher Zaman, the local government minister said the Sindh government was fully cognisant of the problems of citizens due to massive price hike of the essential commodities due to which it had decided to establish makeshift bazaars in Karachi.

Ghani said these temporary bazaars would also generate employment opportunities for the people and accommodate the traders whose shops in different areas of the city had been demolished in the guise of the anti-encroachment drive.

He informed the house that committees had been functioning under the aegis of the Karachi commissioner to check and reverse the trends of price hike, especially during Ramazan.

Public libraries

During the question hour of the session, Sindh Culture and Education Minister Syed Sardar Ali Shah said Karachi had only three public libraries and that number was too less given the massive size of the city’s population. He said the Sindh government was ready to build more public libraries in the city if land was identified for the purpose.

He maintained that it was a plan of the provincial government to build a public library in every taluka of the province. The culture minister also stressed the need for amending the Sindh Heritage Act 1994 for better conservation and protection of the heritage buildings in Sindh.

Police act restoration

The bill to restore the Police Order 2002 in the province was also introduced in the Sindh Assembly. It is likely that the Sindh government after the restoration of the 2002 law would delegate the powers to do transfers and appointments in the provincial police force to the police authorities.

Sindh Parliamentary Affairs Minister Mukesh Kumar Chawla presented the bill in the house, which would also repeal the Police Act of 1861. The draft of the bill was referred to a select committee of the house for proper consideration and review.

The restoration of the Police Order 2002 would once again result in separation between investigation and operations wing of the Sindh police. The Sindh cabinet in its last meeting had approved the restoration of the Police Order 2002 in accordance with the directives of the apex judiciary.