Regularization of buildings, other demands: Sindh govt holds out assurance to ABAD

KARACHI: Sindh Government has given assurance to the Association of Builders and Developers of Pakistan (ABAD) for accepting the Charter of Demand including regularization of buildings.

Addressing to the media at ABAD House, Chairman ABAD Mohsin Sheikhani said that ABAD has postponed its protest rally for two days on the assurance of Sindh government for accepting ABAD’s Charter of Demand including regularization of buildings on the pattern of Punjab.

He said that they could not meet the Chief Minister Sindh as he was out of city; however a meeting with the Chief Minister is arranged for 1st of December, 2021 in which other demands will be discussed.

He said that Administrator Karachi Murtaza Wahab has conveyed that Sindh government has sent Ordinance for Regularization of buildings to the Governor Sindh for approval.

Mohsin Sheikhani denied the perception that ABAD is protesting against Federal or Sindh government and said that ABAD is not a political party but when we are forced to stop our business, we have right to raise the voice peacefully. He said that we are not demanding any undue favour but we want to save construction industry in Karachi.

Chairman ABAD said that we get approvals from almost one and a half dozen departments, legally, before embarking on construction of buildings or development of land and pay millions of rupees as tax to the national exchequer. Despite the fact builders and developers of Karachi are being targeted for no reason.

This is the reason why dismayed builders and developers of Karachi have stopped work on more than 300 buildings, due to which investment of Rs900 billion is stuck up and hundreds of workers are rendered jobless.

He said that we have also demanded from the government to establish a powerful authority for approval of building plans that no one can challenge its decision and if any irregularity is committed the authority will be responsible not builders or developers.

He said that actions against Nasla Tower and other buildings have shaken confidence of local as well as overseas Pakistani and national economy has to suffer. He said that Governor Sindh Imran Ismail has also assured to play an active role for meeting our demands.

If our demands are not accepted in a schedule meeting with the Chief Minister Sindh on 1st of December, 2021, we will continue our protest for the survival of construction industry in Karachi.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2021