KARACHI: In a report submitted at the Karachi Registry of the Supreme Court of Pakistan, Commissioner Karachi stated that approval granted to Al Najeebi Market in Preedy Quarters Saddar by the then Karachi Building Control Authority (KBCA) in 2004 was withdrawn and Sindh Building Control Authority (SBCA) in 2018 and the deputy commissioner has written to SBCA for removal of illegal construction.

A report of the Muktiarkar, subdivision Saddar, district South, annexed with the commissioner’s report stated that the first 99-year lease of the plot, had expired in 1962 and it was declared an evacuee property and the then Settlement Department of Board of Revenue Sindh had transferred it to various individuals.

The neighboring plot with a new 99-year lease was allotted in1962 to Nasreen Shagufta and 11 others, the Mukhtiarkar stated adding that the two plots were never amalgamated.

KBCA in 2004, had approved a building plan for the construction of ground plus 15 floors commercial building with the name of Al-Najeebi Market on a single plot No PR 34 measuring 2,706 square yards created by amalgamation of plot No. Pr2/33 and plot No. PR 2/34.

Some of the allottees of plot No PR 2/33 initiated the litigation before the Sindh High Court while finally reached the Supreme Court in the of civil appeal.

According to the report filed by SBCA, approval granted to the lessor of the amalgamated plot was withdrawn in 2018 as the lessor failed to confirm the title of the plot.

In a letter sent to the commissioner Karachi the SBCA stated that it was fully prepared to take effective action for removal illegal construction on plot No. PR 34.