KARACHI: The Sindh High Court (SHC) on Tuesday expressed serious resentment over the Sindh Building Control Authority (SBCA) for not taking action against unauthorised and illegal construction despite an earlier court order.

It granted the SBCA a last chance to implement the court’s directives.

A two-judge bench headed by Justice Adnan Iqbal Chaudhry ordered the district East director of the SBCA to appear in court on August 1, along with a compliance report.

The bench was hearing a petition filed against alleged illegal and unauthorised construction at Karachi Administration Employees Co-operative Housing Society (KAECHS).

At the outset of the hearing, the bench noted that on May 23, the SHC had directed the SBCA not to allow any unauthorised construction on the subject plot.

However, apparently four floors were constructed by the builder/owner without an approved building plan, and on July 7, a report was also called from the SBCA, while the director general was also asked to ensure compliance, it added.

The bench came down hard on the SBCA, as neither such a report was filed nor was the director concerned in attendance, while the lawyer for the authority could not offer any satisfactory explanation.

The court ordered SBCA director general Yaseen Sher to immediately appear before it. After a short break, the SBCA chief appeared in court and sought time to take necessary action for compliance with the court order and to file a report.

The bench stated in its order: “By way of a last opportunity, adjourned to August 1, 2023. The report shall also explain what efforts were made by the director of SBCA East, namely Syed Asif Rizvi, to implement the order dated May 23, 2023.”

The lawyer for the builder submitted that his client ha also filed a constitutional petition in the SHC, and the bench asked its office to club the petition with the current matter for a joint hearing.

The bench said that the SBCA chief needed not to appear in person if compliance was made on the next hearing.

It directed the Tipu Sultan SHO to provide complete assistance to the SBCA for compliance with the court order.

Tanveer Ahmed and two others petitioned the SHC, stating that builder Mohsin Waheed was allegedly raising a multi-storey building in Block 5, KAECHS without any approved building plan and the SBCA was not taking any action against it.

Published in Dawn, July 26th, 2023