Notices issued on plea over KSDP 2020 implementation

KARACHI:

A constitutional bench of the Sindh High Court on Thursday issued notices to senior provincial officials on a contempt of court petition over non-implementation of the Karachi Strategic Development Plan (KSDP) 2020.

The bench, headed by Justice Adnan-ul-Karim Memon and comprising Justice Hassan Akbar, directed the Sindh chief secretary, Local Government secretary, Karachi Development Authority (KDA) director general, municipal commissioner and others to submit their replies.

During the hearing, counsel for the petitioner, Tariq Mansoor Advocate, argued that under the KSDP 2020, around 32 departments were to be devolved to the city government, but the plan had not been implemented despite the passage of 18 years. He alleged large-scale corruption in the process.

The petitioner stated that the matter directly concerns nearly 30 million residents of Karachi, adding that a 2025 court order in the case had yet to be implemented.

He further pointed out that Pakistan is a signatory to international conventions, including those of the United Nations and the European Union, which require implementation across provinces. Despite court directives on KSDP 2020, he maintained, no progress has been made so far. Justice Memon questioned the basis of the corruption claims, remarking whether the court was expected to issue a "white paper" on the matter. The court also observed that the gazette notification had been issued by the government.