KARACHI, May 22: The Sindh High Court on Tuesday asked the chief controller of buildings to appear before it on May 25 and explain why the Karachi Building Control Authority did not comply with its order to issue a no-objection certificate to the owner of an amalgamated plot on Sharea Faisal and adjoining roads for construction of a commercial-cum-residential complex.

The petitioner owner submitted that a division bench allowed his petition for issuance of a no-objection certificate without payment of commercialisation charges as the four plots were situated on commercial streets and the KBCA had allowed their amalgamation.

KBCA counsel Shahid Jamil said the plots were situated on different roads, including Sharea Faisal, Tipu Sultan Road and another 40-feet wide road, which had not been commercialised. There was no provision in the law for the amalgamation of plots. The construction of a high-rise building in the congested area would cause hardship to the residents of the residential blocks. The total area of the amalgamated plot was more than 4,000 square feet and only a portion of it was situated on Sharea Faisal.

Asked by the division bench hearing the petition why the KBCA allowed the merger of plots in the first instance, the counsel said the approval was accorded in gross violation of the law and a bona fide mistake of law could be rectified at any stage. The bench, which consisted of Justices Amir Hani Muslim and Mrs Yasmin Abbasy, told the counsel that the CCOB should appear on May 25 to explain the position if the KBCA was not prepared to issue a no-objection certificate to the petitioner owner within seven days.

ILLEGAL CONSTRUCTIONS: Chief Controller of Buildings, KBCA, Rauf Akhtar Farooqi has directed controllers in all 18 towns of the city to keep watch on illegal constructions and initiate action immediately when the work is started, reports APP.