PESHAWAR: Sindh Information Minister Saeed Ghani on Monday asserted that the provincial government should be allowed to regularise illegal constructions as it affected the lives of millions of Pakistanis.
“Irregularities in the housing sector are not only confined to Nasla Tower, rather, but the violations in building construction could also be witnessed across the country,” Ghani said while talking to journalists in Peshawar ahead of a rally to mark the party’s foundation day on Nov 30.
Responding to the question about Nasla Tower, the provincial minister said that the issue should not be viewed in “isolation”. He said that there were “minor violations” during construction work across the country.
Giving an example, he said that there were two massive buildings constructed on Islamabad’s Constitution Avenue. “Notice was taken, there were some violations and the lease was cancelled. However, because it concerned the apartments of some major people, including Prime Minister Imran Khan, it was regularised.”
Ghani also claimed that PM Imran’s personal residence in Bani Gala was made in violation of rules and regulations, but “it was fined and was regularised”.
Talking about Bahria Town, he said that the Supreme Court took notice after it spotted some irregularities. “They were fined Rs460bn and Bahria Town was regularized,” he added. However, the yardstick should be equal for everyone, the minister said.
Ghani noted that the Punjab government had issued an ordinance to regularise more than 6,000 irregular housing societies across the province. “If the Punjab government has done this, why is this standard not applicable to the people of Sindh?” he asked.
He said that the Sindh government should be allowed to regularise buildings that are in violation of rules and regulations that have been built on amenity plots.
“We don’t want illegal construction to happen or houses to be made in the wrong places. But where the number of affectees goes into millions, who will not be able to remake their homes, then it is the responsibility of the government to save their homes,” he added.
He continued that he did not doubt the sincerity of the country’s judges. “They want to stop illegal construction in Karachi and want to restore the city’s beauty. That’s a good thing. But will we achieve this by rendering millions homeless?” he concluded.
Last week, the SC had summoned Ghani while hearing a plea challenging the construction of 16-storey Al Bari Tower in Bahadurabad, noting that he had refused to raze illegal structures.
At the outset of the hearing, the petitioner’s lawyer contended that the building was illegally constructed on a park’s land despite a court notice against it. He further told the court that Ghani had said he would resign from his position but not raze illegal structures.
