FPCCI supports ABAD on converted commercial buildings

KARACHI: Eng. Haji Daroo Khan, President, Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FPCCI) supporting the stance of the Association of Builders and Developers of Pakistan (ABAD) on issuance of demolition notices to 930 converted commercial buildings by the Sindh Building Control Authority (SBCA) has condemned action of the SBCA and said that such steps will stop billions of rupees’ investment in the only mega city of Pakistan. He announced to submit a review petition from the FPCCI before the Supreme Court of Pakistan to revisit its decision for the larger interest of the national economy.

He was addressing a joint press conference with office bearers of ABAD including Patron-in-chief Mohsin Sheikhani, Chairman ABAD Muhammad Hassan Bakshi, Senior vice chairman Anwar Dawood, vice chairman Abdul Kareem Adhia, Chairman Southern Region Ibrahim Habib, Senior vice President FPCCI Mirza Ikhtiar Baig and others were also present on this occasion.

President FPCCI said that the order of Supreme Court of Pakistan (SCP) had been misinterpreted by the SBCA.  He said that Karachi contributes 20 percent of the national revenue and 30 percent of the total industrial production.

He lamented that these measures are creating a sense of uncertainty among the business community of the city. He said that the federation did not support the illegitimate elements, but demolishing leased properties was wrong.

He said around 72 industries were associated with the construction industry alone and demolishing buildings would severely discourage flow of investment.

President FPCCI urged SBCA to prepare a list of illegal structures in consultation with ABAD so that the issue could be sorted out.

Addressing the press conference Chairman ABAD Mu8hammad Hassan Bakhshi said ABAD supports action against illegal buildings but targeting legal and regularized buildings cannot be tolerated.

He said that builders paid more than Rs 25 billion to Sindh Building Control Authority (SBCA) in the last 15 years for the regularization and conversion of residential plots into commercial ones as such there is no justification to demolish such buildings.

He said that SBCA itself had leased these buildings as commercial buildings in past and that issuing notices to hundreds of commercial building had created a panic and uncertainty among business community.

Patron-in-chief ABAD, Mohsin Sheikhani demanded that an inquiry should be conducted to identify the elements that had leased these converted buildings if it was wrong. However, he clarified that these buildings were constructed on converted plots according to law and with the approval of all concerned government departments. He appreciated Sindh minister for local government Saeed Ghani for rejecting order to demolish these buildings as now these buildinga are occupied by general public.

Senior Vice President FPCCI Dr. Mirza Ikhtiar Baig said that 930 buildings were converted into commercial in the last 15 years after a 5-member bench of Supreme Court had ruled in favor of such a conversion. Now this recent decision of the apex court contradicts the earlier decision, he added.

 

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