10-Year Construction: SC wants access to Sukkur’s building records

They wanted to get to bottom of allegations of massive irregularities in the construction of buildings in Sukkur city.

KARACHI: The Supreme Court has asked for a record of all multi-storey buildings constructed in Sukkur during the past 10 years.

Justices Khilji Arif Hussain and Sarmad Jalal Osmany were hearing a public interest case on Friday, after citizens had complained about the collapse of a commercial building. After hearing the lawyers from both sides, including the chief law officer of the Sindh Building Control Authority (SBCA) and the Sindh government, the judges felt that the facts were not being presented.

They wanted to get to the bottom of the allegations of massive irregularities in the construction of buildings in Sukkur city and their impact on citizens. The court ordered the town municipal administration and the building control authority to come up with all the records.

The bench also noted that constructors have encroached on a number of public amenity plots. The judges therefore directed the city’s municipal authorities and the SBCA to submit a report on the plots specifically meant for public welfare.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 7^th, 2012.