KARACHI: Only 30pc of Karachi in city govt’s control
By Azfar-ul-Ashfaque
KARACHI, Dec 29: The draft Master Plan of Karachi city shows that the city district government controls only 30.9 per cent of the total land of the metropolis whereas 20.7 per cent land of Karachi is in the use of Kirthar National Park.
The area of Kirthar National Park falls in the jurisdiction of defunct Karachi Division and still its land is included in the limits of Karachi city, which was being controlled by the Sindh government.
According to the draft master plan, the city district government Karachi controls 30.9 per cent land; Kirthar National Park has 20.7 per cent; government of Sindh controls 17.7 per cent; Lyari Development Authority controls 5.6 per cent; Malir Development Authority has 3.9 per cent; Defence Housing Authority owns 5.0 per cent; private land in the city is 3.9 per cent; Karachi Port Trust has 2.8 per cent; Cantonment Boards controls 2.01 per cent; Port Qasim Authority controls 1.5 per cent; Cooperative Housing Societies own 1.8 per cent; Sindh Industrial Trading Estate has 0.6 per cent; Government of Pakistan controls 0.5 per cent; Pakistan Railway possess 0.4 per cent. Some 2.7 per cent of land of Karachi was recently allotted for industrial, educational and other use.
The 120-page draft master plan, which was prepared by a private consultant, was silent regarding how much land is being controlled by the Civil Aviation Authority, Export Promotion Bureau, Export Processing Zone Authority and Pakistan Steel.
Well-placed sources told Dawn that at present the Master Plan Group of Offices was weighing the master plan draft submitted by the private consultant and there is a proposal to publicise the draft to involve people from all walks of life and incorporate their suggestions in such a major document.
The sources said that even though the city government owns 30.9 per cent land in the metropolis, the master plan would set the future direction of the whole city and not only a portion of the metropolis.
“We will hold two seminars for publicising the draft master plan to involve both stakeholders and members of civil society, taking them onboard in this historical process,” said EDO Master Plan Iftikhar Qaimkhani.
It may be noted that a 22-member Karachi Coordination Committee with the governor as its head was formed for effective coordination among all stakeholders and land controlling authorities to bring harmony in framing of the master plan, uniform construction laws and regulations, usage of land and other matters.
