KARACHI, Oct 27: A controversy is brewing between the Lyari Town administration and the City Government on the issue of auctioning a historic municipal property in the town.

The City Government has recently invited bidders for the sale of the old sub-registrar office situated at D.D Chowdhary Road in Lyari Town.

Protesting against the move, the Town administration has said the conversion of official premises into commercial use will encourage the land mafia as it is after other municipal properties.

In a letter to the Nazim City Government, the Nazim of Lyari Town has drawn his attention to the historical character of the building.

It was built in pre-independence days, used by the sanitation section of the health department of the then municipal body. Later, it was handed over to the sub-registrar Lyari division for facilitating the people of the area.

Recently the sub-registrar Lyari division vacated the office, restoring its status as the sanitation staff office. The Lyari Town administration claims that by virtue of the sanitation staff office that it automatically becomes a town property.

The administration says that at the inception of new local government system in Aug 2001, the building was not under control of the defunct KMC. Therefore, section 180 of SLGO 2001 does not apply in this case.

According to Section 124 (1) of SLGO 2001, properties of the local governments shall be used only for public purposes. Therefore, its intended commercial use will be in violation of SLGO 2001, the letter says.

The letter further says it needs elaboration as to how the estate department CDGK has suddenly proposed an old municipal office for auction, whereas it never existed in their property records.

The Town Nazim says he has failed to understand how an official premises can be proposed for commercial use converting its public utility status, when it could be utilized for some official or public-benefit purpose.

The Nazim has made an appeal to the Nazim City Government to immediately stay the auction of the ex-registrar office. He has urged that meeting be called to discuss the issue.