The district administration has decided to invite bids from the demolition companies to demolish the 11-storey Nasla Tower in a week as per the Supreme Court orders.
Karachi Commissioner Muhammad Iqbal Memon chaired a meeting to discuss the implementation of the orders of the Supreme Court regarding the demolition of Nasla Tower.
The meeting decided that an advertisement to invite bids for the demolition of Nasla Tower would be issued in the newspapers on the next day. The meeting was attended by representatives of the Frontier Works Organisation (FWO), Sindh Buildings Control Pakistan Rangers, Authority (SBCA), KMC Encroachment Department, senior officers of Karachi Metropolitan Municipality, experts from the Mines and Minerals Department, NED Engineering University Prof Abdul Jabbar Sang, East District Deputy Commissioner Asif Jan Siddiqui, East SSP Qamar Raza Jaskani, and Ferozabad Assistant Commissioner Asma Batool, Shehri Secretary General Amber Ali Bhai and others participated.
Utilities directed to disconnect services to Nasla Tower residents
Sealing the doom of the condemned Nasla Tower, the district administration has issued letters to the water, gas, and power utilities to the residents of the building.
The Supreme Court has ordered the demolition of the tower declared illegal construction.
Ferozabad Sub-Division Assistant Commissioner Asma Batool in an official communication to the officers concerned of the of Sui Southern Gas Company Limited, K-Electric, and Karachi Water and Sewerage Board directed them to sever the gas, electricity, and water connections of the residents of Nasla Tower before October 27.
The SSGC has already disconnected gas supply to the condemned building constructed on a service lane.
‘We go down together’
Meanwhile, the residents of the 11-storey building say they will go down with it unless they are compensated.
Where was the government when the structure was being erected, it did not pop up overnight, they said talking to Daily Express.
The builder got all the papers approved from the KDA and KMC and then constructed it, if their actions were illegal, why should the people suffer, the exasperated residents said.
Following the Supreme Court’s order to demolish the 11-storey residential building in a week, the victims demanded the Chief Justice of Pakistan and Karachi commissioner to refund them the amount of the flats from the builders, saying that until they are paid the full amount of the apartments they will not vacate their place.
They said that they have no other place to live, if the money is not returned they will go down in the demolition along with the building.
MQM-P demands Nasla Tower afectees relocation
The Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) Senior Deputy Convener Aamir Khan while addressing a press conference with the victims at Nasla Tower said, “we are here to express solidarity with the victims of Nasla Tower.”
He said that water, electricity, gas connections of the building have been cut. Sewerage line is being cut, the people are living in a state of fear waiting for their home to be torn down.
“Honourable chief justice, It is believed that you have also said in this order that alternative place should be provided to the victims. Your order is not being fully implemented but there is a race to demolish the tower,” Aamir said.
The officer of the subsidiaries of the Sindh government who passed the maps and allowed the construction of the building should be held accountable, Aamir asserted.
JI expresses solidarity
Ameer of Jamaat-e-Islami Karachi Hafiz Naeem-ur-Rehman has said that the victims of Nasla Tower should be guaranteed an alternative place and compensation in any case.
Speaking at a press conference he said thousands of cases were pending in the courts for over 20 years, which have not been decided till date, but the Nasla Tower demolition was decided in weeks.
He said it is the responsibility of the government to compensate the victims. The government should collect the money from the builder mafia .
Published in The Express Tribune, October 27th, 2021.
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