Imran Zakir
KARACHI: Mohsin Sheikhani, Chairman Association of Builders and Developers of Pakistan (ABAD), lamenting the current situation of construction sector, has said that please tell us whether we have to obtain NOCs from High Court or United Nations because legally approved buildings are being demolished in the name of illegal construction despite the fact that members of ABAD are obtaining eighteen No Objection Certificates (NOCs) for a building.
He was addressing a meeting with Chairman Saylani Welfare Trust Maulana Bashir Ahmed Farooqi at ABAD House here on Wednesday. Senior Vice Chairman ABAD Sohail Warind, Vice Chairman Abdul Rehman, Chairman Southern Region Muhammad Ali Ratadia, Amjad Chamadia, former Chairmen of ABAD, a number of ABAD members and others were also present on this occasion.
Chairman ABAD said that members of ABAD are completing all formalities according to prevalent building byelaws; however, citizens of Karachi are being made enemies of builders and developers by declaring our buildings as illegal. He said that under the order of Supreme Court of Pakistan many illegal buildings are being demolished in Karachi four of them including Royal Park are being constructed by members of ABAD for which all required NOCs were obtained.
Hundreds of allottees of Royal Park are in a state of shock and they are protesting because they have paid hundreds of thousands rupees to builder for booking their dream home. He said that one should tell us whether we should obtain NOCs from High Court or from United Nations because despite paying millions of rupees to Sindh Building Control Authority and other concerned department to obtain NOCs for our projects but now these projects are being declared illegal.
He said that more than 70 industries are flourishing when construction activities are running and national economy gets boost. The construction industry is considered as Mother Industry all over the world but in Pakistan hurdles are being created for this important industry.
He said that on one hand difficulties are being created for legal builders and developers due to rampant corruption in government departments while on the other hand no one is asking those who are involved in illegal construction activities. We have forewarned that at least one million people may die due to substandard materials used in illegal buildings and the recent incidences of buildings collapse have proved our claim true.
He appealed to the Prime Minister, Chief of Army Staff and Chief Justice of Pakistan to have mercy on builders and developers of Karachi otherwise they will be forced to close down their businesses. He said that we will announce our future line of action through a press conference. He appreciated welfare works of Saylani Welfare Trust in Pakistan.
Addressing the meeting, Maulana Bashir Farooqi said that we are standing with ABAD for resolution of problems of construction business in Karachi. He said that he will meet Prime Minister Imran Khan, Chief of Army Staff Gen, Qamar Javed Bajwa and Chief Justice of Pakistan Justice Gulzar Ahmed and appeal them to provide relief to legal construction in Karachi because construction industry has potential to create thousands of jobs and support national economy.