Commissioner Karachi takes control of Nasla Tower

KARACHI: The residents of the Nasla Tower Thursday urged the Supreme Court of Pakistan to ensure they would be compensated for their losses as the district administration took over control of the building.

The Supreme Court had directed the Commissioner Karachi to demolish the illegally constructed building within a week.

Talking to media, a resident of the 15-storey building said that he was vacating his home in compliance with the orders of the apex court, urging the SC to ensure residents are compensated.

Expressing their disappointment, residents said neither the builder was not ready to compensate them for their losses nor was the city administration willing to do so.

“So far, no one has contacted us for the compensation money,” he added.

Meanwhile, Deputy Commissioner Karachi East Asif Jan Siddiqi said that the administration had taken control of Nasla Tower last night after the deadline to vacate the illegally-constructed building had expired.

He said the Karachi commissioner has sought bids via advertisements to have the building demolished.

Talking to media, the Nasla Tower manager said that residents of over 20 flats had shifted to other places till last night, however, some of the residents could not find places to rent.

Eight flat owners, who lived abroad, could not be contacted. He urged authorities to provide residents some time so that those living abroad could shift their luggage from their flats.

Earlier, the Supreme Court issued a detailed judgment in a case pertaining to the 15-storey Nasla Tower in Karachi.

On October 25, the SC had directed the Karachi authorities to demolish the Nasla Tower through a controlled implosion within a week.

In its detailed verdict, the apex court directed to use the latest technology to demolish the high-rise building on the Shahrah-e-Faisal through controlled blasting.

The modern detonation procedure should be adopted to raze the Nasla Tower which is being used in India and all over the world, directed the SC.

The apex court ordered to take all precautionary measures to ensure that no damage occur while demolishing the building. The court directed to complete the process by November 3.

The owner of Nasla Tower will pay the cost of the demolition, according to the SC order. The court directed the Karachi commissioner to sell the plot to recover the amount if he refuses to pay.

The SC also ordered the concerned authorities to remove the building’s rubble immediately once the high-rise building is demolished.

The Karachi commissioner will apprise the court about the progress in implementing its verdict today.

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