KARACHI: Sindh Local Government Minister Saeed Ghani has stated that the provincial government’s top priority was to provide the public with affordable, quality housing along with all the legal protections.
Speaking at first meeting of the Business Facilitation and Coordination Committee for the Housing Town Planning Sector held under his chairmanship.
The meeting was attended by the Chairman of the Association of Builders and Developers (ABAD) Hassan Bakshi, Vice Chairman Zeeshan, Special Secretary of Local Government Ayesha Hameed, Usman Ghani, Additional Director General of SBCA Ali Mehdi Kazmi, Senior Director Master Plan Haji Ahmed, Deputy Director Aurangzeb, and others.
The Business Facilitation and Coordination Committee for the Housing Town Planning Sector, formed on the special directives of Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari.
Saeed Ghani mentioned that the approval of plans for individual houses up to 1000 square yards is being done within 15 days, and if there are any obstacles in this process, they are being promptly addressed.
Ghani emphasized that preventing illegal constructions in the city is a top priority for the Sindh government, and legislation is being enacted for this purpose.
He stated that he has discussed with the Law Minister that strict laws should be made against any builder involved in illegal constructions, and not only should FIRs be registered against them, but if any builder is found guilty of committing an FIR more than five times, their identity card and passport should also be blocked.
Additionally, FIRs should be registered against real estate agents and buyers involved in the sale of illegally constructed houses.
He said that the Sindh government was adopting a law regarding buildings deemed dangerous in the city, and rules are being framed for the residents of those buildings that have already been declared dangerous, including the provision of alternative housing. Additionally, there is a need to create laws for heritage-protected buildings that have been classified as dangerous.
Ghani stated that only a few builders are involved in illegal construction in the city. On this occasion, the ABAD Chairman informed the meeting about the issues faced by builders, including taxes, approval of plans, land infrastructure, and delays in development work.
He mentioned that they wanted to strengthen the housing sector throughout Sindh, including Karachi so that good and affordable housing could be provided to the public.
He also demanded that the Sindh government provide ABAD with 10,000 acres of land, on which they could construct public housing schemes and provide low-cost houses and flats.
He stated that due to the incomplete digitalization of the SBCA’s system, there are difficulties in obtaining plans for the construction of high-rise buildings, and the data on lands should also be digitized.
He assured that they would fully cooperate with the Sindh government against illegal construction in the city, and if any of their members were involved in this, they wouldn’t support such elements.
He that by resolving the issues faced by the residential industry across Sindh, including Karachi, they would not only be able to provide the government with billions of rupees in revenue but also offer the public good, affordable, and quality housing.
On the occasion, the Local Government assured the committee members that he would present all their legitimate demands in the upcoming meeting of the Business Facilitation and Coordination Committee chaired by the Sindh Chief Ministers, and all measures would be taken for a lasting solution.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
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