KARACHI, Sept 2: The federal government has leased out an old temple and the lessee wants to demolish it and raise a multi-storey building to have a windfall, it is learnt.

According to the sources, the temple has been leased out by the Administrator of the Evacuee Trust Property, Southern Zone, to a person for 30 years for Rs365,000. The lease agreement does not mention that the premises is a temple.

The Sant Naranka Temple is located in the vicinity of the Cloth Market, the Boulton Market and Kharadar on Prem Putlee Lane which has since been renamed as the Ghazi Suleman Street, in the Old Town area.

The temple is protected under the Sindh Cultural Heritage Act and is mentioned at serial No 240 in the notification mentioning the buildings and properties protected under the act, which was issued by the Sindh Culture Department.

The lease agreement says an advertisement was published in the newspapers and the lessee was the highest bidder and his bid was approved by the Evacuee Trust Property Board.

The agreement further says: “The lessee/developer shall raise a five storey building — shops on ground floor and offices and flats on upper floors at his own cost, according to the building plan approved by the Chairman of Evacuee Trust Property Board and after getting sanction from the KDA/KMC, Karachi.”

“The lessor has no objection for the approval of building plan for development in favour of the lessee.” Sources said the lessee, soon after getting the lease agreement executed in his favour, had submitted a building plan to the Karachi Building Control Authority (KBCA) for construction of a ground-plus-three-storey building.

The KBCA in its reply on the subject of the proposed building plan on plot No 184, OT 9, Old Town Quarters, said: “With reference to your proposal of above cited plot it is to inform you that the same cannot be considered and hence rejected as the old structure existing thereon is a listed historical building namely Mandir (Temple) Sant Naranka vide building No: KAR/OT/010.”

Sources said the lessee pursued the matter and submitted another application, this time trying to get the building declared as dangerous and de-listed from the heritage list.

This application says cracks have developed in the building’s facade as well as stone masonry. Walls and wooden portions and roof have been eaten up by white ants.

The application requests the officials concerned to inspect the building and declare it dangerous or unfit for human habitation and to de-list it from the heritage list. Though the application is addressed to the Sindh Culture Secretary, the lessee approached Sindh Culture Minister Shabbir Ahmad Qaimkhani, who wrote a note on it saying “put up factual position.”

The application was sent to the National Heritage Cell of the KBCA. The KBCA’s National Heritage Cell replied: “The said premises, namely Mandir (Temple) Sant Naranka, was locked since long. To ascertain the factual position, a detailed inspection of the building is required.”

Sources said the lessee in both his communications had not mentioned that the premises was a temple. However, in one of his letters he had said the building was on the heritage list.