KARACHI: All utility connections — water, electricity and gas — were on Tuesday disconnected from Nasla Tower as the city administration decided to invite open bids through advertisements for “controlled blasting” demolition of the illegally-constructed 15-storey building at the intersection of Sharae Faisal and Shahrah-i-Quadeen.

Karachi Commissioner Muhammad Iqbal Memon chaired a meeting at his office to discuss with the experts from Frontier Works Organisation (FWO), Sindh Building Control Authority (SBCA), mines and mineral department and others the demolition of the building using controlled detonation in compliance of the Supreme Court’s orders.

The meeting after thorough deliberations on the technical and seismic aspects of the task decided to immediately issue advertisements in the newspapers inviting tenders from the demolition firms for razing the building within a week as ordered by the apex court.

Earlier, the commissioner also wrote to the FWO seeking assistance in razing the illegal building.

Water, power and gas lines of the 15-storey building disconnected

He requested FWO Director General Brigadier Qasim Nawaz Gondal to furnish technical and seismic feasibility of Nasla Tower within two days for taking necessary action to demolish the building.

The commissioner also requested him to provide the ground support to the divisional and district administration for the demolition process.

Earlier, the utility connections were disconnected from the building in compliance with the directives by the commissioner, who was ordered by the SC to ensure demolition of Nasla Tower in a week.

Assistant Commissioner, Ferozabad, Asma Batool had on Monday written a letter to three utility agencies, asking them to stop providing amenities to the residents of Nasla Tower in compliance with the SC directions.

The AC wrote to the K-Electric, Karachi Water and Sewerage Board and Sui Southern Gas Company Limited that plot No A-193 of the Sindhi Muslim Cooperative Housing Society would have to be deprived of the utility connections by them in compliance with the SC order of September 22.

The Supreme Court had on Sept 22 dismissed a review petition against its earlier order to demolish the 15-storey building.

The court had also asked the Karachi commissioner to submit a compliance report and ensure the building was vacated.

Published in Dawn, October 27th, 2021