A division bench comprising Justice Maqbool Baqar and Justice Imam Bux Baloch earlier heard the counsel for the petitioner NGO, the United Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (UHRCP).
Referring to a public notice in an Urdu daily newspaper, the petitioner maintained that Minister for Local Bodies Agha Siraj Durrani, exercising his powers under the provisions of the Sindh Building Control Ordinance of 1979 has allowed amendments in the Buildings and Town Planning Regulations of 2002, thus paving the way for legalising illegally constructed buildings.
The SBCA had on November 29 invited applications from the owners of thousands of illegally constructed buildings in Karachi, Sukkur and other cities of Sindh for regularisation.
The petitioner submitted that the SBCO/KBCA has always enjoyed unfettered powers to check violations of the building control rules and was responsible to check such illegal constructions but it failed to take any action against thousands of buildings constructed in Karachi alone in violation of the rules and regulations.
The new scheme, the petitioner said, would contribute to already rampant corruption in the former KBCA which has been extended to the entire of Sindh as the SBCA.
The amnesty scheme was to cover up the failure of SBCA officials who conveniently ignored the illegal structures built with impunity by the builder mafia, the UHRCP said.
The NGO appealed to the court to declare the amnesty scheme as well as any other method or move to give legal cover to the illegally constructed structures as void, ab initio for being in violation of Articles 116 and 128 of the constitution and restrain the SBCA from the regularisation of illegally constructed buildings till a decision is made in its petition.
Published in The Express Tribune, December 14th, 2011.
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Contract / work charge employees SBCA protested against the government. They said that "they are working since many years but their salaries are still same (3000-5000 per month) that amount is insufficient to live. Employees demanded to be regularize on their current posts on which they are working since many years". During the protest of Contract/work charge employees, list of 200 selected candidates is shown to different media / officials. These were selected purely on political basis. It is further reported that more than 500 selections are still in pending (on political base).
Contract / work charge employees further said that "Now, it can't be further tolerated. We spent alot of time in department but still we are not regularized. Instead of regularization to contract employees, government is appointing new empoyees... why? This is our right be become regular 1st, then make new appointment if needed"
The press released in Jang 1 jan 2012, Jurrat 1 Feb 2012, Riyasat 25 jan 2012, Riyasat 26 jan 2012, Mukadmoo 26 jan 2012, Faisloo 26 jan 2012, Awami awaz 26 jan 2012, Ummat 31 Jan 2012, Pasban 31 Jan 2012, Faisloo 31 Jan 2012, Awami awaz 31 jan 2012, Aman 31 Jan 2012, Aasroo 1 Feb 2012, Awami Awaz 1 Feb 2012, Faisloo 1 Feb 2012, Halchal 1 Feb 2012,.. & many more..