Building Approvals: Petition filed against Clifton penthouse

KARACHI:

Notices were issued to the director general of the Sindh Building Control Authority (SBCA), the director of buildings in Saddar Town II and the owner of Sapphire Residency in Bath Island, Clifton for July 27 by a division bench of the Sindh High Court (SHC) here on Friday.

Justices Munib Akhtar and Aftab Ahmed Gorar earlier heard Rana Fiazul Hasan of the United Human Rights Commission Pakistan who drew the attention of the court to the alleged violation of the approved building plan.

According to the petitioner, the builder is constructing an unsactioned penthouse in addition to the approved ground-plus-nine floors. He has covered up the mandatory open space allegedly in collusion with the officials who have been named in the petition. The petitioner also maintains that by bringing in other changes, the number of units to be sold to the public has been unlawfully and illegally increased.

The petitioner requested the court to declare that the builder has committed violations and to direct the building authority to demolish all illegal and unauthorized constructions.

The court was also requested to restrain the public utility agencies so that they sever connections to the illegally constructed project.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 22^nd, 2012.