24 April 2004	Saturday	03 Rabi-ul-Awwal 1425

KARACHI, April 23: A review meeting, presided over by the City Nazim, Naimatullah Khan, on Friday discussed the problems confronting the Association of Builders and Developers (ABAD) and civil contractors.

These problems, the meeting noted, were hindering completion of several projects. The City Nazim, addressing the meeting, said that the City District Government Karachi would soon restore frozen residential plots allotted under Chief Minister's quota whereas for restoration of commercial plots, a committee had been constituted to fix prices of these plots.

He said that lifting of ban on frozen plots would generate a construction boom in Karachi. He noted that unemployment is increasing in Karachi and construction work provides job opportunities to people.

"Construction activities should be boosted in Karachi to provide jobs to people," he said and added that the President of Pakistan and the Governor of Sindh are desirous of construction and industrial activities in Karachi.

He told the participants of the meeting that mega projects, like K-3 Project, Lyari Expressway and Northern Bypass, have employed around 22,000 people. The City Nazim announced that the CDGK would initiate plans for provision of basic amenities in slum areas and for providing residential facilities to homeless people in the city.

"Completion of under-construction residential projects is the responsibility of builders," he added. The ABAD delegation said that builders would pay immediate attention to public complaints.

Representatives of ABAD requested extension in the date for regularisation of residential projects by KBCA. The City Nazim directed that a committee, comprising DCO Karachi, Chief Controller of KBCA, EDO Master Plan and one representative of ABAD, be set up.

The committee would submit a report to the Sindh government after reviewing the recommendations and problems of the ABAD. The ABAD delegation informed the participants that defunct KDA allotted flat sites to builders, but did not carry out development work despite the collection of development charges. -PPI