KARACHI: Rangers go ahead with unlawful construction
By Bhagwandas
KARACHI, Sept 6: The illegal construction by Rangers at their temporary headquarters — the Jinnah Courts — continues unabated as the government departments responsible to keep a check on such activities look the other way.
The Jinnah Courts building is a building protected under the Sindh Cultural Heritage Protection Act, sources pointed out and said that no individual or institution, including owner of such a building, was authorized to carry out any construction, repair, renovation, etc.,
on its premises without obtaining a prior permission and an NOC from the Advisory Committee on Cultural Heritage, which is headed by cheif secretary.
Referring to the progress of the illegal construction, the sources said that the Rangers had already completed ground floor and two upper floors of a new building raised on the premises of the protected site and work was under way for the construction of third floor. Shuttering material has already been moved to the roof of the second floor to start the main construction for the third storey in the next few days, they added.
According to the sources, there are at least two government departments having responsibility to ensure a strict check on such an illegal construction — the Karachi Building Control Authority (KBCA) and Sindh Culture Department (SCD). The Act prescribes long prison terms and heavy fines for the its violators.
For any new construction, anywhere in the city, the pre-requisite is submission of maps and designs, for an approval for the plan, with the KBCA. The construction has to be carried out strictly in accordance with the approved plan.
The sources said that the Rangers had not submitted their building plan with the KBCA for an approval. Nor have they applied for a permission or NOC to the SCD’s committee.
They sources observed that by avoiding the legal procedures, the Ranges had violated not only the Sindh Cultural Heritage Protection Act but also the relevant building laws.
The SCD sources, responding to Dawn’s query, said that the department had written a letter to the Rangers seeking information about the construction plan and work. However, they added, the Rangers did not respond.
When contacted, KBCA sources said that the Authority, through a letter, had asked the Rangers to stop the illegal construction and obtain an approval from it to avoid demolition of the illegally-raised structures. The Rangers did not bother to respond to the letter, according to the sources.
They further said that the KBCA chief, Brig (r) A. S. Nasir, and chief secretary, in their communications, had exchanged views on some legal action against the violation of the Act and procedures by the Rangers. However, the sources said, the KBCA chief had opined that moving high court would not be a good idea.
