KARACHI, March 15: A division bench of the Sindh High Court on Friday ordered the Karachi Building Control Authority (KBCA) to demolish a building in Block 5, Kehkashan, Clifton, because it has been constructed in contravention to the approved plan.

The bench, comprising Justice Sabihuddin Ahmed and Justice Ali Aslam Jaferi, passed the order while allowing a constitutional petition of Shaikh Tariq Anwar and Mashkoor Alam against the KBCA chief controller and Mrs Mariam.

The petitioners’ counsel, Mohammad Nawaz Shaikh advocate, contended that the building had been constructed in the midst of residential bungalows and the builder had not left the five feet portion vacant on the front side. Rather three more storeys have been constructed there, he added.

He argued that the KBCA was in full knowledge of the illegal construction and its officials had kept silence. Nazir of the court had also reported that Mrs Mariam had violated the approved plan.

The court directed the KBCA to immediately demolish the building.

GOLDEN HANDSHAKE: Another division bench, comprising Justice Ataur Rahman and Justice Sarmad Jalal Osmany, ordered that while executing golden handshake, the amount deducted on account of income tax from the employees should not be paid to the concerned department.

The bench held this in the constitutional petition filed by Abdullah Khan and others of the National Bank of Pakistan.

Arguing the case of the employees, Islam Hussain advocate contended that the High Court had already passed a similar order and observed that the amount deducted from the retiring employees under the scheme should be invested in the most profitable government security, so that whosoever is paid, gets it with profit. He also claimed that the Supreme Court had also directed that such amount should not be paid to the concerned department.