The provincial building control authority on Thursday imposed a ban on the construction of high-rise buildings in Karachi with immediate effect.

Acting on the orders passed by the Supreme Court, Sindh Building Control Authority (SBCA) Director General Agha Maqsood Abbas imposed a “complete ban on the construction of multistoried and high-rise buildings beyond ground plus two floors forthwith in Karachi.”

According to a statement issued, the ban has been imposed after a letter received from Local Government Department in compliance with the Supreme Court orders.

Some media reports suggested that at least 80 high-rise residential projects are announced on average in the province every year, mostly in Karachi and Hyderabad. These projects are based on average 8,000 units i.e. 100 units per project.

Of the 80 projects a year, Karachi holds the lion`s share at 85 per cent compared to Hyderabad`s 10pc. The rest is shared among the other cities of Sindh.

Experts also raise concerns in connection with skyscrapers in the city.

“Building plans are being approved without developing civic infrastructure and conducting EIAs. This is a dangerous trend being witnessed in the city,” director general of the Sindh Environmental Protection Agency (Sepa) Naeem Ahmed Mughal had recently told the audience of a seminar.

He described the situation in Karachi as ‘confusing’ and said there seemed to be no strategy in place on city development and growth.

Last month, Mayor Karachi Wasim Akhtar had demanded that the provincial authorities stop the construction of more than 100 skyscrapers in the city, as it would gravely affect the already fragile civic infrastructure.

The mayor had requested the Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah to stop builders from constructing giant structures across the city.

He was of the view that not only sewage and water mains were in pathetic condition, but the rest of the city`s infrastructure was in similar condition. In this situation, he said, the chief minster should stop the Sindh Building Control Authority and other related bodies in Karachi from issuing NOCs.

The NOCs which have been issued already should be cancelled, he maintained.