Daily Times

KARACHI: Sindh High Court (SHC) has issued show cause notices to the various civic authorities in the metropolis in a petition filed against construction of concrete walls on various city roads to be used for advertising.

The notices were issued to the Advocate General of Sindh, the Station Commander, the Deputy Superintendent of Railway, the Chief Executive Officers of three cantonment boards, the DHA administrator, two district municipal corporations and the deputy commissioner of South Karachi. They were asked to appear in person or through their counsel on March 8.

The SHC, in its order, said that in case the defendants failed to appear in the court, the petition would be heard and the matter determined ex-party, and defendants would be liable to have their defense struck off.\

Mdias Link, in its application filed under article 199 of the constitution of Pakistan, had prayed the SHC to grant a stay order against building of roadside walls in the city.

The petitioner contended that publicity walls were causing a huge loss to the outdoor advertising industry. It said that the reinforced concrete (RCC) walls were being built illegally on public property and there was no mechanism for auction of commercial sites to advertisers.

Earlier, Mdias Link had lodged complaints to the governor, the chief minister, the registrar of the SHC, the Rangers DG, the Karachi mayor, all DMCs, NAB DG, FIA DG, Karachi commissioner, Sindh IG, PR Director Marketing, Federal Minister Railway, chiefs of cantonment boards, Karachi Cantt, Director DHA, Core Commander, Core Headquarters, Core Headquarters, Naval Chief Islamabad, Army Chief GHQ, Quartermaster General GHQ, DG ISPR GHQ and DG Military Intelligence GHQ in this connection.

In a suo moto notice, the Supreme Court (SC) had on March 10, 2016, and on May 5, 2016, ordered that a citywide uniform policy should be adopted for installation of billboards and hoardings.

The Additional Attorney General, during that hearing, was of the view that billboards and hoardings could not be installed on public property.

All civic bodies concerned had been directed not to use buildings facades and walls along major roads for commercial advertising. The court also directed civic bodies concerned to prepare appropriate by-laws keeping in mind safety of road users as well as public property.

In addition, the SC rejecting appeals of cantonment boards and civic bodies and directed them to follow SC’s directives regarding billboards and hoardings.

Then, the Sindh Building Control Authority in a public statement declared according to by-laws raising walls above eight feet height was illegal and vowed that walls higher than the limit would be demolished, whereas the authority directed all civic bodies to take action against such illegal practice.

Outdoor advertisers claimed that some elements in their rank and file were being given undue benefit of this illegal business by civic bodies, which was tantamount to inflicting financial losses on the industry.

Central, Malir, West and Korangi municipal corporations have yet to approve any by-laws, while cantonment boards too are following old by-laws, in violation of SC directives.

The South and East MCs have approved draft by-laws, but it was done without inviting any input from the public at large.

A city-wide survey suggests that walls above eight feet height for advertisements can be seen along Karsaz Road, Shahrah-e-Faisal, Kalapull, Football Ground Zamzama Clifton, Pakistan Railway I I Chundrigar Road, KPT under pass Clifton, Stadium Road, Old Sabzi Mandi Ashari Park, Drigh Road, Teen Talwar Clifton, Goora Kabrustan on Shahrah-e-Faisal, FTC flyover, Korangi Road, Sharah-e-Quaiden Bridge and Nursery SMCHS.

Published in Daily Times, March 1^st 2018.