KARACHI: A number of allottees of Bahria Town Karachi held a protest demonstration against ‘injustices’ meted out to them, it emerged on Sunday.

Around 150-200 allottess staged a sit-in at the main office of BTK located along the Superhighway (now Motorway-9) on Saturday evening, said Gadap City SHO Waqar Faridi.

The officer said the protesters claimed that they had paid up to Rs4 million six or seven years back and were not being given possession of their properties. Instead, BTK was allegedly demanding up to Rs3 million more under the pretext of various charges, said the officer.

No untoward incident occurred and the protesters dispersed peacefully.

“BTK should announce in writing and such an announcement should be made in the media that they would no longer impose 35pc development charges,” said a press release distributed by the protesters on this occasion.

They also demanded that no plot be cancelled or changed because allotees had already made full and final payment and possession should be given with the provision of facilities of mosque, market, parks etc and no further increase be made in any type of charges.

The allottees also demanded that those who wanted 100pc refund, they should be given such refund within 15 days and allottees of the plots should be given lands ‘within old BTK, clear from any problem’.

They also urged BTK to chalk out a clear policy regarding Bahria Heights and other incomplete homes and flats.

“Till the provision of all facilities, construction of homes and granting of possession, monthly maintenance charges should not be taken,” according to a charter of demands of the allottees.

Only 10pc should be received for corner plots of Golf City as was enshrined in all booking forms of the project when it was launched.

The allottees of plots were facing problems in construction of homes as the Sindh Building Control Authority and the ‘planning department’ were harassing them.

The protesters also demanded that BTK should receive electricity charges as per K-Electric tariff.

Published in Dawn, January 20th, 2020