Defying court orders: Political parties deface Karachi in run up to elections

Banners and signboards bearing election messages crop up all over city

KARACHI: With the 2018 general elections around the corner, Karachi's skyline is being visually polluted by political advertisements cropping up on major thoroughfares throughout the city.

In 2016, the Supreme Court of Pakistan had placed a blanket ban on advertisements on public properties. In its order, the SC had ruled that there was no law permitting the installation of outdoor advertising billboards and signboards on 'public property'. The court defined the term 'public property' as roads, sidewalks, islands in the centre of a road or service lane, overhead bridges and underpasses, overhead pedestrian walkways or bridges, roundabouts, green belts or dividers between a road, pedestrian lanes, nullahs (storm water drains) and their banks.

For the past few days, pedestrian bridges on Sharae Faisal and Rashid Minhas Road have been dotted with structured signboards of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI). Other areas commemorate various political leaders affiliated with the Muttahia Qaumi Movement Pakistan (MQM-P) and the Pak Sarzameen Party (PSP).



Signboards displaying the pictures and party affiliation of PPP candidate, Shahzad Memon, from PS-103 adorn light poles and pedestrian bridges on at least half of Sharae Faisal and Rashid Minhas Road, as well as smaller thoroughfares in Gulistan-e-Jauhar, which fall under the jurisdiction of District Municipal Corporation (DMC) East and Cantonment Board Faisal (CBF).

Meanwhile, banners of PTI's candidate for NA 245, Amir Liaqat Hussain's signboards deck the other half of Sharae Faisal.

These political parties don't seem bothered about any tax payments for the advertisements to any of the landowning agencies. After the local government elections, the local tax department - responsible for collection of taxes from ads and billboards - were devolved to the six District Municipal Corporations (DMCs).

DMC East's director of local taxes, Rashid Baig told The Express Tribune that all these advertisements on pedestrian bridges were illegal in light of the SC's order. "None of the political parties have paid taxes for such advertisements," he said, adding that it doesn't matter if the signboard has a proper structure or is just a panaflex, the installer is liable to pay tax. "But for now, we are not allowing any commercial activity in accordance with the SC's order."



For his part, the DMC East's elected chairperson, Moeed Anwar, said that all political parties were flouting the laws. He added that they will dismantle the signboards from all pedestrian bridges after taking law enforcement agencies on board. Even the Cantonment Board Faisal (CBF) is not being paid any tax. CBF's billboard in-charge, Muhammad Qasim said they were not taking any action due to the risk of a law and order situation. He asked the election commission to look into the issue.

Advertisers

These pedestrian bridges, according to Sindh Outdoor Advertising Association member, Rahat Muhammad Ali were installed on Built Operation Transfer (BOT) basis after the issuance of proper tenders from different landowning agencies.

The builders of these pedestrian bridges were supposed to earn through advertisements for a certain number of years. However, after the SC's ban, the advertisers as well as builders are facing monetary losses. "How can these political advertisements be legal now?" he asked.

One such operator of a pedestrian bridge at Nursery, Malik Najeeb, said that he constructed the pedestrian bridge at a cost of Rs25 million, which has now been taken over by a political party. "We are not even paid for the advertisements being placed on our bridges. This is sheer injustice," he said, adding that they have filed an application to the SC to look into the matter.



Apathetic response

For his part PPP candidate Shahzad Memon was of the belief that the signboards aren't advertisements but part of their election campaign. "If the DMC wants to remove these signboards, they will have to remove the signboards of all political parties, not just the PPP's," he said, adding that for the past 30 years, the MQM had never paid any taxes for placing their advertisements on public property.

Meanwhile, PTI's Amir Liaqat Hussain claimed they had obtained proper permission from DMC East. "If there's no permission, the DMC can remove these signboards," he said, reasoning that the SC's order was for general advertisements, not political ads.