May 3, 2006	Wednesday	Rabi-us-Sani 4, 1427

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ISLAMABAD, May 2: The Capital Development Authority (CDA) has rejected a request of Sindh government regarding regularisation of an under-construction additional block of Sindh House, a source in the authority told Dawn on Tuesday. The source said some officials of Sindh House and the CDA high ups would meet on Wednesday to start dialogue on the issue.

Meanwhile, Federal Ombudsman has also directed the authority to adopt best possible way to facilitate Sindh government.

The Sindh authorities started construction of an additional block of Sindh House last year without approval of the CDA. Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz had taken notice of new construction and directed the CDA to stop it.

After receiving directives from the prime minister, the CDA’s building control section and anti-encroachment directorate got the construction work of extension area of Sindh House suspended on September 14, 2005 and deployed its guards to keep a regular check there.

The source said the management of Sindh House had not paid extension charges since 1995 and now it had to pay 11 years extension charges of Rs71.5 million.

“Therefore the management of the Sindh House would pay a total of Rs108 million as Annual ground Rent and Extension Charges,” the source said.

The source said the CDA had already declared the construction of entire Sindh House “unauthorised” as it was constructed in 1975 without approval of the authority.

Two types of fines are likely to be charged from the Sindh House that include Annual Ground Rent (AGR) and Extension Charges (EC).

The current rate of AGR being charged by the CDA is stated to be Rs10 per sq yard and EC is charged at the rate of Rs50 on per sq yard.