KARACHI, Nov 19: The Nazim of Karachi, Naimatullah Khan, has put off action against illegal constructions till Dec 3 and asked the Karachi Building Control Authority (KBCA) to stop its drive.
Presiding over a high level meeting, the Nazim observed that the Dec 3 deadline had been set to enable people to regularize their illegally raised buildings and it was unjust to initiate an action before the deadline. He said that the KBCA drive was bound to create an atmosphere of harassment among the people.
The meeting was attended by the EDO Finance, Shoaib Ahmed Siddiqi, EDO Works, Brig (r) Zaheer Qadri, KBCA chief, Brig (r) A. S. Nasir, the Nazim’s representative, Saleem Azhar and other officials.
Naimatullah Khan directed the KBCA officials not to serve any notice or seal off any property in this regard.
He also appealed to the people not to wait for the deadline in getting their illegally constructed buildings regularized.
The meeting was informed by the concerned officials that the KBCA had already issued 10,000 notices to the owners/builders of such properties.
The meeting also discussed the plan for the devolution of the KBCA and noted that the procedure for the purpose would be worked out during another meeting, to be held in the next few days, to review the working of the Authority.
SWEDISH BUSES: At a separate meeting, the Nazim was briefed about the induction of a big fleet of Swedish buses in Karachi’s road communication network.
The briefing was held at the North Karachi bus depot of the defunct KTC here on Tuesday. This depot will be used as terminus for the private sector enterprise bringing in the fleet from Sweden.
For the first time in the history of Pakistan, a fleet of 32 large size Swedish buses is being inducted after their arrival on Dec 3. The fleet would start operating on Karachi roads from January next year.
This three billion rupees projects will not only improve transport and commuting facilities in the metropolis but also provide employment opportunities to more than 300 young people for which advertisements have already been published in newspapers.
Those present during the briefing included the EDO Works and Services, Brig (r) Zahir Qadri, Director General of Mass Transit Project, Malik Zahirul Islam, Administrator of Karachi Public Transport Society, Shamsuddin Abro, Private Coordinator Public Transport, M. A. K. Yusufi, Deputy Director, Anwar Ahmed Baig, and International Bus Management Consultant Mr Fritner.
Mr Fritner told the City Nazim that the buses procured were the most modern and sturdy and that educated personnel would be employed to run the fleet. He said that the drivers would also be educated while they and the conductors would be imparted training as per the international standards at the terminus.
The Nazim noted that in the first phase, the new buses would operate on two routes — North Karachi-Tower-North Karachi via Nazimabad (route 2 B) and North Karachi-Tower-North Karachi via Sohrab Goth, Liaquatabad (route 4 C).
Naimatullah Khan assured the officials of the city government’s fullest cooperation in the project and pledged that all hurdles in its way would be removed.—APP
