04 October 2004	Monday	18 Shaban 1425

KARACHI, Oct 3: At least 110 new highrises, that violate the height-restricting law regarding the Mazar-i-Quaid, have been constructed illegally since 1991, it is learnt.

The law prohibits the construction of buildings higher than the Mazar's podium level - 91 feet above the mean sea level (AMSL)- within a radius of six furlongs (1.2 kilometres) of the mausoleum.

According to sources, out of these 110 new highrise buildings, 53 were in Garden East, Soldier Bazar and Jamshed Quarters, while 33 were in the Khudadad Colony, and 24 were in the Lines Area.

The sources said that as this restrictive zone comprised areas that now were in centre of the city, where land prices were high, so the builders mafia purchased houses, bungalows and plots here and then, in many cases, after getting permission to construct just ground-plus-one floor, with the connivance of officials concerned, often raised ground-plus-five, six or even more floors illegally.

Responding to Dawn queries, Mohammad Arif of the Quaid-i-Azam Mazar Management Board (QMMB) said that there already were over a 100 illegally constructed high rise buildings, which were constructed before 1991, within the restrictive zone, and the board was making efforts to get these demolished through the Karachi Building Control Authority.

He hoped that the KBCA would fulfil its duty of demolishing such buildings, which its staff should have checked earlier in the first place. He said that he had also received a list from the KBCA of the buildings in the zone, which had been constructed illegally after 1991.

He said that he could not understand that how the officials concerned had failed to stop the illegal construction when it was initiated. He said that almost all of these over 110 illegal buildings were fully occupied.

He said that now the QMMB would make efforts to get the all over 210 buildings demolished by the KBCA. He hoped that the authority would help restore the sanctity of the Quaid's mazar.