Daily Times

KARACHI: Sindh Building Control Authority (SBCA) after a gap of 22 years, in a cosmetic action against involved officials in illegal construction in the city has demoted 54 officials of basic pay scale grade 14-17, leaving behind big fish of the authority.

As many as more than 60,000 commercial-residential buildings in 21 zones of the city were constructed illegally in contravention of a breach of by-laws and without approval of building plans, officials of authority have been informed.

This action was taken after the inquiry reports of three independent teams of the entity, but inquiry was limited to BPS grade 14-17 officials.

Action was taken on violating construction by laws and rules of entity in three towns; Gulshan-e-Iqbal, North Nazimabad and Gulberg towns.

Earlier such an action was taken during Abdullah Shah (late), Chief Minster Sindh on August 11, 1996 in which 15 involved officials were dismissed from services and increment and other benefits of such 14 officials were stopped.

Some of the officials after going to court of law for justice had returned on their respective seats.

Building inspectors, seniors, assistant and deputy directors are among the officials came under the stick of the SBCA action.

No any involved official of BPS grade 18 onwards has been touched though there were number of such officials involved and facilitating builders in illegal construction and violation of Building Control Rules.

Illegal work cannot be carried out without the knowledge and consent of higher grade officials as they are meant looking after matters in question, an official on condition of anonymity has disclosed.

Despite probe by Federal Investigating Agency, Anti-Corruption Department and National Accountability Bureau since July 2015 to June 2017, no any action by Sindh government has been taken against SBCA on more than 60,000 illegal constructions of apartments, commercial sites and portions on residential houses including 576 registered and unregistered katchi abadis.

Most of the mushroom illegal construction has been carried out in North Karachi, Liaquatabad, Scheme 33, Jauher, Jamsheed Town, Lyari, Orangi, Keamari, SITE, Baldia, Saddar, Malir, Shah Faisal, Landhi, Korangi and in other parts of city, but no any inquiry or action has been initiated against the responsible officials of these particular areas, official maintained.

Published in Daily Times, January 25^th 2018.