May 4, 2006	Thursday	Rabi-us-Sani 5, 1427

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ISLAMABAD, May 3: A meeting between Sindh House officials and highups of the Capital Development Authority (CDA) on the unauthorised construction of Sindh House remained inconclusive on Wednesday, a CDA source told Dawn.

The CDA asked the authorities concerned to meet all requirements to get the plan of the Sindh House approved.

The source said officials of Sindh House and the CDA highups met in the authority’s headquarters and the two sides presented their point of view but failed to reach any conclusion.

It was also decided in the meeting that the authority would refer the case to the interior ministry to get the issue resolved.

The source said Sindh House officials demanded approval of the site plan and permission to construct an additional block in it.

On the other hand the CDA was of the view that the entire Sindh House was constructed without approval of the authority and now an additional block for residences of employees was also being built.

The management of Sindh House has been directed to pay the late approval charges along with the fine for illegal construction.

The sources said a piece of 25 acres was allotted to Sindh House in 1973 and in the same year the site plan of the building was submitted with the CDA for approval.

However, the authority had raised some objections on the site plan and directed the Sindh House authorities for their ratification.

The source said instead of ratifying the plan, the authorities concerned started construction of the building in 1974 without getting CDA’s approval.

It is stated to be negligence on the part of the CDA that during the last 31 years no action was taken against what the authority said was ‘illegal’ construction of Sindh House.

The source said Sindh House authorities had started extension of the building towards Constitution Avenue to construct 12 additional officers suites there.

“The Sindh House authorities have also cut a hill in front of Constitution Avenue for the construction of officers’ suites which was giving a bad look,” a senior official of the authority said.

The official said: “If the government institutions commit such violations of rules, what can we expect from the general public.”