Karachi: The supervisory committee of Sindh Building Control Authority-SBCA has made its first action against SBCA officers and officials, who are allegedly involved in conducting illegal constructions in Karachi Central District. The SBCA Director General Ishaque Khuhro has served show-cause notices to two senior building inspectors-SBIs and a building inspector-BI. The SBCA director general is issued an explanation letter to Central District Assistant Director Engr. Ovais Hussain, who is looking after the charge of deputy director.

On August 31, the SBCA director general on the recommendation of Sindh LG minister formed a supervisory committee. The prerogative of the committee is to monitor demolition operations against illegal constructions and involvement of SBCA officers and officials in patronizing illegal constructions in Karachi. On September 12, the SBCA director general issued show cause notices to SBIs Dileep Kumar, Manzoor Chandio and BI Abid Hussain Bhutto. In show-cause notices, the authority seeks reply from these officers as for what reason they are involved in harassing and demanding bribes from the owners/builders of plots in various areas of Central District despite they (SBCA officers) are suspended by the authority on 17-August. In show cause notices, the SBCA DG is seeking reply from these officers within three (3) days as why the action in the light of Efficiency and Disciplinary (E&D) rules 2016 is not taking against you.

The SBCA Director General Ishaque Khuhro said these officers were involved in blackmailing the owners/builders of plots and demanding bribes in their period of suspension. Khuhro says these suspended officers were involved in patronizing the illegal constructions in Central District.

The authority writes to Chairman Anti-Corruption & Establishment for conducting an enquiry against these suspended officers for their involvement in demanding bribes from owners/builders of plots in Central District. The SBCA director general requested the ACE chairman to conduct and enquiry against them to curb illegal constructions as per ACE rules and policy.

In another development, the authority called for an explanation from Engr Ovais Hussain, assistant director who is looking after the charge of deputy director in Central District. In the explanation letter, the SBCA director general says it has been informed by Central deputy commissioner that due to negligence from your end, the suspended officers and official were involved in demanding bribes and connivance of illegal constructions.

He said: your act is tantamount to misconduct, connivance and negligence on your part which provides sufficient grounds for imposing on you the penalty under SBCA E&D regulations, 2016. The Central Deputy Commissioner Taha Saleem confirmed that he had written letter to the SBCA DG informed him about the involvement of SBCA suspended officers and official in demanding bribes to the owners and builders of various plots.

The SBCA supervisory committee secretary Rehan Khan said the action against illegal constructions and the involvement of authority’s officers in such act has been started. “It is the first action taken by the supervisory committee against the SBCA officers, adding this act is to be continued with the same pace,” Khan added. The secretary supervisory committee says the demolition teams have condnucted operations in Central District areas of Nazimabad No 4 and Gulberg Block 14. “We are going to submit fortnightly report of the actions being taken against the illegal constrcutions and officers involved in such acts before Sindh LG Minister Nasir Hussain Shah.

Published in The Daily National Courier, September, 14 2022

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