KARACHI, May 15: The Karachi Building Control Authority (KBCA) has advised the NED university to stop construction work on its old city campus.

According to sources, the KBCA issued the advice on May 14 to the university administration to inform it that obtaining a formal approval of building plan from the KBCA for any construction at the site was mandatory even after the issuance of clearance/NOC from the department of culture.

Citing the relevant sections of the Karachi Building and Town Planning Regulations-2002, the Authority asked the university administration to submit the building plans before going ahead with the construction work.

The sources pointed out that the NED university administration had started restoration/construction work on its old city campus — a site protected under the Sindh Cultural Heritage Protection Act — more than a year back without obtaining mandatory approvals from the KBCA, as well as the advisory committee of the department of cultural.

While the construction was under way, the KBCA tried to intervene but the university administration sought Sindh Governor Dr Ishratul Ibad’s help in the matter.

The department of culture had to issue the permission for the construction work, though without the necessary approval from the authorised advisory committee.

Since the university has not yet sought the mandatory approval from the KBCA, a senior official of the Authority during his routine survey a few days back took notice of the ongoing illegal construction.

According to the sources, the university administration has expressed its strong reservations over the KBCA officers’ visits, arguing that they should not try to intervene once the department of culture had allowed the construction activity at the site. However, they said, the KBCA insists that the university will have to abide by its rules and regulations before going ahead with its construction work.