KARACHI: The Sindh High Court has ruled that the Karachi Strategic Development Plan (KSDP-2020) will remain in force till the approval of any other master plan.

“Until any new plan, including the proposed Greater Karachi Regional Plan, 2047, is lawfully approved and notified, the KSDP-2020 shall remain operative,” ruled a two-judge bench headed by Justice Adnan-ul-Karim Memon while disposing of a petition seeking immediate, coordinated and effective implementation of the notified KSDP-2020.

It added: “Any deviation therefrom shall entail legal consequences in accordance with law subject to the final policy decisions of the Government of Sindh on the subject issue.”

The bench directed the provincial authorities to implement its earlier orders about timely framing of rules, consistency of regulatory framework and adherence to the KSDP-2020.

Bench asks authorities to comply with its earlier order about framing of rules to implement Karachi Strategic Development Plan

Initially, Advocate Tariq Mansoor had filed a petition in 2024 seeking effective implementation of the KSDP-2020. Later, he filed contempt application against the Sindh chief secretary, local government secretary and other respondents / alleged contemnors for not complying with the orders passed by the SHC in August and October 2025 regarding implementation of the KSDP.

The applicant contended that despite clear judicial directions, the respondents failed to implement the KSDP-2020 and instead of submitting compliance affidavits, they were adopting delaying tactics including filing review/recall applications.

He also submitted that such a conduct violated fundamental rights of around 30 million residents of Karachi and also contrary to international instruments.

A provincial law officer, along with the counsel for some respondents, filed counter affidavits and para-wise comments, raising preliminary objections about the maintainability of the petition.

They argued that the petition involved the questions which cannot be adjudicated under Article 199 of the Constitution.

They also stated that although legislative framework for integrated master planning was under process, it was yet to be finalised.

The assistant advocate general (AAG) also pointed out that he also filed a review application seeking to recall / expunge an order passed in October last year.

The AAG further submitted that the impugned order erroneously attributed to the AG office an undertaking which was never given, as enforcement of the KSDP came within the domain of relevant authorities including the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) and Master Plan Department.

After hearing both sides, the bench in its order said that the core grievance of the petitioner was related to non-implementation of KSDP-2020 and failure of respondent authorities to act in conformity with the constitutional mandate and binding judicial pronouncements.

At the same time, it noted that the controversy involved multiple authorities, evolving statutory frameworks, questions relating to policy implementation, coordination and regulatory harmonisation, which prima facie ordinarily fall outside the strict scope of constitutional jurisdiction of the high court.

However, the bench pointed out that the SHC had already issued comprehensive directions on Feb 10, 2026 in another petition wherein a clear mechanism had been provided for framing of rules, ensuring consistency with KSDP-2020 and restraining authorities from acting in “deviation thereof until such framework was duly notified”.

The said order adequately addresses the concerns relating to regulatory alignment, implementation framework and adherence to the notified master plan and continued to hold the field until set aside by the Federal Constitutional Court, it added.

The bench in its order said, “In view of the above, the petition needs to be disposed of along with all pending application(s) with directions to the competent authorities of respondents to strictly comply with the order dated 10.02.2026 passed in CP No. D-6603 of 2021, particularly regarding timely framing of rules, consistency of regulatory frame along with all pending application(s) with directions to the competent authorities of respondents to strictly comply with the order dated 10.02.2026 passed in CP No. D-6603 of 2021, particularly regarding timely framing of rules, consistency of regulatory framework, and adherence to KSDP-2020 in line with binding Supreme Court judgments.

“Until any new plan, including the proposed Greater Karachi Regional Plan, 2047, is lawfully approved and notified, the KSDP-2020 shall remain operative, and any deviation therefrom shall entail legal consequences in accordance with law subject to the final policy decisions of the Government of Sindh on the subject issue,” it added.

It may be recalled that the SHC in its Feb 10 order had directed respondents to finalise, frame and notify the Sindh Building Planning, Construction, Control, Demolition and Disposal Rules within three months and such rules must be strictly in consonance with parent statute, the binding judgements and directions of the Supreme Court including those related to unlawful commercialisation and change of land use as well as the objectives and mandatory provisions of the KSDP-2020.

In the intervening period, the SHC had also ruled that neither SBCA nor any other authority could exercise any powers in deviation of KSDP till the requisite rules were duly framed and notified in conformity therewith and in accordance with binding judgements of the Supreme Court.

Published in Dawn, April 29th, 2026