KARACHI: Terming a recent public notice issued by the Sindh Building Control Authority a result of certain “misunderstanding”, Sindh Local Government Minister Saeed Ghani said on Tuesday that there was no plan to shut private schools running in residential neighbourhoods in the metropolis.

“The notice issued recently by the SBCA for taking action against the schools in residential areas is a result of certain misunderstanding,” he said while speaking to the media outside the Sindh High Court, where he had gone to appear in a case involving his election.

He said that SBCA regulations permitted establishment of schools in residential areas, but the owners had to meet necessary legal requirements.

Says SBCA public notice to private schools was a result of ‘misunderstanding’

He said parents of students should not worry about the future of their children. “I assure all the parents that they should not be worried about the issue as there is no danger to the education of their children.”

He advised the owners of private schools to get their schools regularised in the light of the SBCA rules and regulations.

He said he had no qualms in conceding that the city had endured huge quantum of illegal constructions in the past due to involvement of SBCA staffers.

“However,” he added, “I had made it clear to all the day I assumed office that from now on no illegal construction would be allowed in the city and elsewhere in Sindh”.

Since then, the minister said, a number of such illegal buildings had been demolished and that policy still continued and was duly being followed.

He asked the people to inform him about the SBCA officials who were demanding bribes or not allowing them to build legal structures. “I assure you that action will be taken against these officials.”

Anti-encroachment operation across Sindh

To a question vis-à-vis the ongoing operation against encroachments in the city, Mr Ghani said Karachi was a huge city and the authorities were complying with the orders of the superior judiciary.

He added that the government or municipalities did not have the requisite number of staffers, which is why it would take time to comply with all such orders. However, the authorities concerned were carrying out anti-encroachment operations on a priority basis.

He said the anti-encroachment operation would not be limited only to the Sindh capital, but would cover the whole province. “This operation will be carried out in the whole province. It will cover all parts of Sindh.”

The minister said action would be taken against encroachments everywhere in the province whether it was in Hyderabad’s Pucca Qila or anywhere else.

He said the provincial government was aware of the fact that the removal of encroachments had rendered thousands of people jobless, but, “we will not leave them alone. Our government will certainly help them”.

About illegal constructions, Mr Ghani said the innocent people would not be punished because of errant builders or certain government institutions.

Published in Dawn, November 28th, 2018