Water Commission tells ABAD to approach Supreme Court

Justice Hani takes exception to ABAD protest and blocking of road

KARACHI: The Supreme Court-mandated Commission on Water and Sanitation has directed the Association of Builders and Developers (ABAD) to approach the apex court regarding the ban on issuance of No Objection Certificate (NOC) for development projects.

Hearing a plea by ABAD against non-issuance of NOCs by the Karachi Water and Sewerage Board (KWSB) at the Supreme Court (SC) Registry in Karachi on Saturday, its Chief Justice (retd) Amir Hani Muslim told the ABAD chairman, "I don't have any personal enmity with builders nor I have directed the KWSB not to issue NOCs."

He said, "You keep on constructing buildings but what would happen to the inhabitants of these buildings when there would be no water."



Justice Hani said that it was not only about NOCs, Karachi isn't getting water as per its requirements despite billions of rupees looted in the name of betterment charges.

"Karachi's biggest problem is the delay in K-IV project," said Justice Hani and added that, "Unless federal and provincial governments give a timeline for the completion of the K-IV water project, it will be difficult to proceed further."

He told the ABAD chairman that his case was already pending before the SC and in that situation, how could the commission issue an order.

When ABAD chairman said that water supply had been restored to many areas on the intervention of the commission, Justice Hani remarked that he should go and see the devastation that has been done.

In an oblique reference to the recent protests by the ABAD, Justice Hani said, "If anyone thinks that by protesting they can pressurise us then they're wrong." He added, "In my whole life I have worked honestly. I am not scared of any one."

Water Commission chief said to the chairman that by blocking the roads for their protest, they made the whole city suffer. The chairman said that we had apologised to the water board and the citizens as well. Justice Hani said, "Don't think we have called you because of the protest. We have called you to tell that since your request is under trial in the SC, this isn't an issue of Water Commission."

Justice Hani told the chairman that he should take-up the issue with the SC and gets a written order from the apex court handling this issue over to the Water Commission.

The chairman said that the government wants to cover-up its failures behind the court orders. He said that the SC had permitted construction of buildings up to six floors but KWSB has toughened its conditions for the issuance of NOC. ABAD Chairman said that KWSB was earlier issuing K-IV conditioned NOCs but now it has stopped this too.



Justice Hani remarked, "The order of implementation on NOC conditions is mine. You have challenged this verdict in SC now wait for the order. "

KWSB managing director said that ban was imposed after consultation with legal advisors and SC imposed the ban.

"Till the completion of K-IV and provision of electricity and water we have decided to not hand over the flat to holders."

Directing ABAD chief to approach the SC, commission chief adjourned the hearing.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 2^nd, 2018.