Top court orders action against SBCA boss

SC also orders demolition of Nasla Tower in 15 days, confiscation of 780 square yards of land

KARACHI:

The Supreme Court has ordered the demolition of Nasla Tower in 15 days and the confiscation of 780 square yards of land which should be placed in the custody by a Sindh High Court official. The apex court also ordered suspension of its sale.

The apex court also directed the anti-corruption DG to file a case against the SBCA DG and other officers and submit an inquiry report within a week.

The court ordered departmental and criminal action against the officers involved in approving the building plan of Nasla Tower.

The chief justice directed the police to register a separate case against the officers involved and submit a report of criminal proceedings at the next hearing.

A hearing was held in the Supreme Court Karachi Registry before a bench headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan Justice Gulzar Ahmed and comprising Justice Qazi Muhammad Amin Ahmed.

The Karachi commissioner appeared in the court. The commissioner said that five floors of the building including its entire structure was demolished.

The CJP questioned the fact that 400 people were involved, yet they were unable to demolish a single building.

"We have stopped people in a decent way. The Association for Builders and Developers (ABAD) also protested, however, we dealt with them peacefully," the Karachi commissioner told the court.

"Did you write this report yourself?" Justice Ahmed asked.

Read More: SBCA, KDA restricted from sealing, razing factories in Mehran Town

Making a disclosure, the commissioner said that a reporter of a private TV channel had interfered in the work. At this Justice Ahmed remarked, "Did you register a case against him? Do you want to say that a reporter is bigger than your government?"

The commissioner said that the Sindh Building Control Authority officials also interfered in the work. "Did you file a case against all of them?" asked Justice Ahmed. "This is the reason why non-state actors are working in this country," the judge observed.

The court summoned DG SBCA to the rostrum. The CJP asked the DG SBCA if he had intervened. The DG SBCA said that no intervention was made by his department. The court was furious with the DG SBCA for stopping the demolition proceedings.

The court restrained the DG SBCA from giving further clarification. The court remarked that the report was sufficient evidence that the SBCA was intervening. The commissioner wrote in the report that SBCA was also demanding bribe from the contractor.

The CJP remarked that all who intervened committed contempt of court. Justice Ahmed said that there should be contempt of court proceedings against all. "You are a government official; how dare you interfere in the work?" the court remarked.

Chief Justice Gulzar Ahmed remarked that the building was not demolished even with 400 workers.

The commissioner said that the building was being demolished in phases.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 28^th, 2021.