KARACHI, March 10: The Sindh High Court discharged a contempt notice against the provincial government on Wednesday when a law officer produced a notification naming a 20-member committee to oversee the functioning of the Karachi Building Control Authority.

The committee is required to be set up by the government under Section 4-B of the Sindh Building Control Ordinance, 1979, and a an SHC division bench, while disposing of a writ petition against the Sindh Regulation and Control (Use of Plots and Construction of Buildings) Ordinance, 2002, observed in October 2003 that while the old members were not entitled to restoration after the expiry of their term, the government was legally obliged to constitute an oversee committee.

A contempt application was moved when the government failed to comply with the direction and another division bench comprising Justices Sabihuddin Ahmed and Zia Perwez issued a show-cause notice to the respondents. As the application came up for hearing on Wednesday, a notification was submitted and the bench discharged the notice. The committee has an initial tenure of two years.

Headed by the chief minister's adviser on local government, the city government's district coordination officer is the member- secretary of the committee.

Among the non-official members are professors Muhammad Nauman and Kausar Bashir of the NED University; architect Arif Hassan; MPA Akhtar Bilgrami; chairmen (or nominees) of the Pakistan Engineering Council, the Pakistan Council of Architects and Town Planners, Association of Builders and Developers and the Karachi chapter of the Institute of Architects; and one representative each of the City Council and the Indus School of Architects.

The director-general of the Sindh Environmental Protection Agency; managing directors of the KESC and Sui Southern Gas; executive district officers of the KWSB and of the city government for revenue, master-plan group and law; and the KBCA chief controller of buildings will sit in the committee by virtue of the offices held by them.

According to its terms of reference, the committee will ensure effective enforcement of building and town planning regulations of 2002, adopt measures to regulate the growth of the city vertically and horizontally, suggest ways for smooth transition of the KBCA to the town level in accordance with the devolution plan envisaged by the Sindh Local Government Ordinance, 2001, make rules for giving effect to the SBCO and the SLGO for consideration of the provincial government, ensure utilization of amenity plots, and suggest steps for preservation of cultural heritage.

The committee will meet as and when required but at least once in two months. The quorum has been fixed at 10 and decisions will be taken by a majority of members present at a meeting.

NOTICE TO KESC: A division bench of the Sindh High Court, comprising Justice Anwar Zaheer Jamali and Justice Syed Ali Aslam Jaffery, on Wednesday issued a pre-admission notice to the Karachi Electric Supply Corporation and others for March 12 on a petition of Ibrahim Qureshi against harassment by KESC officials, adds PPI.