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Thursday, May 28, 2009

City District Govt. Karachi restrained from auctioning 9 amenity plots


KARACHI: The Sindh High Court on Wednesday restrained the CDGK from auctioning nine amenity plots in North Karachi Township till June 9, 2009.

Advocate Khalid Imran approached the SHC over the alleged illegal auction of amenity plots, naming the Sindh local government department secretary, Karachi city nazim and CDGK land management district officer as respondents. Advocate Imran submitted that the CDGK recently announced through newspapers that 70 commercial, petrol pumps and amenity plots in Korangi, North Karachi and Sarjani Town will be disposed off through an open public auction on May 28, 2009.

These include nine amenity plots in North Karachi Township. Two amenity plots, St-1 (measuring 1352 square yards) and St-64 (measuring 960 square yards) in Sector 11-A, are used by the area residents for community purposes and gardens have been developed on these plots.

He stated that the amenity plots specifically meant for parks and gardens could not be converted for any other purpose, as prohibited vide Regulations 19-2.2.8 Karachi Buildings and Town Planning Regulations 2002. Such regulations having statutory force, as such auction of said amenity plots would be against public policy. He prayed the court to restrain the CDGK from auctioning amenity plots, particularly St-1 and St-64 and urged to stay the auction scheduled for May 28.

The SHC division bench, comprising Justice Maqbool Baqir and Justice Abdur Rahman Farooq Pirzada, issued notices to the respondents, as well as the Sindh Advocate General for June 9, 2009, adding that till then parties are directed to maintain status quo.