Daily Times

KARACHI: Airport Security Force (ASF) Foundation has sold plots in a housing project, spanning over 39 acres of private land in Surjani Town, without getting its layout plan approved from Lyari Development Authority (LDA), Daily Times has learnt.

The Sindh Building Control Authority (SBCA) has already declared this action of ASF Foundation illegal and has advised the ASF to halt construction at the Arabian Vista in Surjani Town immediately until building plans have been approved

A Staff Officer to the ASF DG, Nabeel, said that the Foundation was following the by-laws and regulations of civic bodies concerned. In this respect, we have already submitted a lay out plan to the Lyari Development Authority (LDA) for approval.

Though ASF Foundation has submitted an application to the Deputy Commissioner of West Karachi for the approval of the layout plan on land in Deh Jam Chakro, Tapo Manghopir, Surjani Town, construction activity continues unaffected.

The Commissioner’s Office has confirmed that the land is registered in the names of Syed Johar Ali Qandhari, Muhammad Ayub and Arshad Iqbal, who are partners of the ASF in the housing venture.

An LDA official said that the civic body had started scrutinising documents of the lay out plan for approval.

ASF for housing has set up a separate cell, which sees only issue of housing and housing schemes on its land.

As a part of the approval process, the LDA issued a notice asking the public to bring forth any objections, along with documentory evidence, no later than May 20, 2018. The notice mentioned that after May 20, the Town Planning Department of the LDA would not entertain any objections.

Earlier in its reply to the SBCA, ASF Foundation had claimed that its project did not come under SCBA`s rules and laws as the foundation was covered under federal laws.

The issue first emerged in July last year, when the SBCA issued a letter to ASF Foundation regarding the illegal booking and sale of land the project.

The letter stated that a drive to sell and book land was being carried out without the approval of a competent authority as required under Section 12 of the SBCO 1979 (amended up to date) and other relevant laws. The SBCA directed ASF Foundation to halt all activities including the sale, booking and advertisement of the project. The authority also demanded an explanation for ASF’s actions.

Speaking to Daily Times, an SBCA official, Farhan Qaiser, said that the ASF was not adhering to rules and regulations, adding that construction activities on the land were illegal.

In response, ASF deputy director general, Brig Imranul Haq said that the foundation was a federal security body operating under an Act, and housing projects were launched under ASF Foundation with approval of the federal government. He said that the ASF was not accountable to the SBCA.

In a letter sent to the ASF DDG in August 2017, the SBCA maintained that it had examined the ASF stance and concluded that it was not in accordance with the rules and regulations laid out in the Karachi Building and Town Planning Regulations.

The SBCA stated that the advertisements run for the Arabian Vista project showed that it was a public sale project , not a project of national security, hence the Foundation was required to obtain an approval of building plans and a no-objection certificate (NOC) for sale and advertisement as per Section 12 of SBCO 1979-82.

It said that for exemption under regulations 1-1.3, the Foundation was required to furnish a copy of the SRO issued to it by the federal government. The SCBA further advised the Foundation to stop all publicity/booking in the project until fulfillment of rules and regulation.

According to the ASF Act of 1974, Airports Security Force is responsible for ensuring the security of all airports, aerodromes, aircrafts and civil aviation installation (within limits of airports and aerodromes). It is also responsible for guarding civil aviation against acts of unlawful interference and ensuring security of all structures, equipments, material and installations belonging to operators and other government or non-government organisation within limits of airports and aerodromes in conjunction with police.

Published in Daily Times, May 25^th 2018.