Illegal billboards: Ombudsman orders removal

KARACHI: The Sindh Ombudsman Asad Ashraf Malik has directed the administrator Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) to remove all billboards and signboards installed in violation of by-laws and without proper approval. According to a statement issued on Thursday, the ombudsman also directed the Sindh chief secretary to initiate departmental proceedings against concerned directors and deputy directors local taxes KMC for unlawful allotments and misappropriation of government funds to the tune of Rs27,775,000. The statement said that Ombudsman held an inquiry on the complaint of Outdoor Advertisers Association and it was found that bye-laws were violated in allotment of advertising space. It was revealed that some billboards were posing traffic hazard and were in violation of Road Safety Act. Similarly KMC had illegally allowed erecting a 30x90 feet billboard atop a building in Clifton area without payment of government taxes.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 20^th, 2015.