Auction of plot near old Sabzi Mandi cancelled, says KMC spokesman

The Karachi Metropolitan Corporation’s (KMC) spokesman said on Friday that the auction of a plot at the old Sabzi Mandi had been cancelled and the resolution adopted by the city council had been deferred.

The Sindh local government department has initiated an inquiry into the alleged engineered auction of plot number 2-B near the old vegetable market in Gulshan-e-Iqbal at a far lower price than the prevailing market value in favour of a handpicked party. The auction was allegedly carried out through a managed exercise intentionally covered through the resolution of a council without the approval of the government and in violation of section-77 of Sindh Local Government Act 2013, in lieu of personal gains and kickbacks.

According to a press statement from the KMC, after the auction, many people approached the director land and other relevant officials, and maintained that they could not take part in the auction due to COVID-19. They were in isolation at the auctions time and have now requested the KMC to cancel the auction so that they could take part in the second auction.

“The director land apprised high officials about the matter and the KMC has decided to cancel the auction in the larger interest of the people of Karachi,” the spokesman said, adding that the security deposit amount had also been refunded and no amount had been deposited in the KMC’s account.

“The plot 2B 2700 is still the KMC’s property and on one claims it,” said the spokesman. He was of the view that the plot was a commercial one and designated for a petrol pump, and that was why many parties were interested in the auction.

After the improvement in COVID-19 situation, the KMC would issue an advertisement in the leading newspapers for auction so that each party could have an equal right to get the land. “Some people are spreading false and fabricated information about the plot, but in fact the auction was cancelled on July 24. The KMC reserves the legal right to take action against such people who are trying to defame the national institution,” he added.