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Supreme Court worried by state of Karachi’s Sea Breeze building
Yasal Munim
August 6, 2019
Photo: Facebook
Karachi’s Sea Breeze building can collapse anytime, remarked Justice Gulzar Ahmed while hearing a case at the Supreme Court’s Karachi Registry on Tuesday.
The top court had issued an interim stay order on the demolition of the building on MA Jinnah Road on July 18. It resumed hearing the case on Tuesday.
The judge asked what precautions have been taken by various builders to ensure that their buildings are safe. “This is a serious issue. What will happen if the building collapses tomorrow?” Such buildings are really dangerous, he added.
The lawyer representing the owners of the building owners argued that no one is living in it.
Related: Court stays demolition of Karachi’s Sea Breeze building
“How is possible that a building has been present in Karachi since the last 40 years and no one has encroached upon it,” remarked Justice Ahmed.
The director general of the Sindh Building Control Authority was asked to appear before the three-member bench, comprising justices Faisal Arab and Sajjad Ali Shah.
The court expressed its displeasure over the performance of the relevant authorities. “You are not doing your job or providing any solution to the problem,” said Justice Ahmed.
“Sea Breeze complex should’ve been examined,” the judge told the DG. “It is your responsibility.” He also advised the government official to consult the cantonment board and other experts on the matter.
The judge then asked the director general to provide him with the exact number of buildings in the city. When the DG replied that there must be 400 to 500 buildings, the bench then criticised him for failing to do his job properly.
Related: Wedding halls up next after the demolition of shops in Karachi’s Saddar
“You are the DG and not an accountant. This is the height of shamelessness,” said Justice Ahmed. “You have sold your respect, your conscience, your body and you still haven’t stopped.”
He added, “Do you think we don’t know what’s going on here?”
Justice Shah asked him who had given the approval for an 11-storey building on a 30-acre land in Delhi Colony but the director general couldn’t provide him with an answer.
The court has summoned the Nespak chairperson and a Pakistan Engineering Council representative at the next hearing on August 9, Friday.
On November 23, the top court had ordered the demolition of the Sea Breeze building. The Karachi Cantonment Board had even issued eviction notices to the shop owners at the building and asked them to vacate it by May 27. According to the Karachi Cantonment Board spokesperson, the shops occupy just 10% of the building while the rest of it is empty.
At the last hearing, Iftikhar Hussain Gilani, who is the lawyer of the petitioner, said that no report says that the building has been ruined. Nespak has reviewed it and we should wait for its report, he told the court. There are shops and warehouses inside the building and its demolition will affect 200 people, Gilani added.
https://www.samaa.tv/news/2019/08/supreme-court-worried-by-state-of-karachis-sea-breeze-building/
Yasal Munim
August 6, 2019
Photo: Facebook
Karachi’s Sea Breeze building can collapse anytime, remarked Justice Gulzar Ahmed while hearing a case at the Supreme Court’s Karachi Registry on Tuesday.
The top court had issued an interim stay order on the demolition of the building on MA Jinnah Road on July 18. It resumed hearing the case on Tuesday.
The judge asked what precautions have been taken by various builders to ensure that their buildings are safe. “This is a serious issue. What will happen if the building collapses tomorrow?” Such buildings are really dangerous, he added.
The lawyer representing the owners of the building owners argued that no one is living in it.
Related: Court stays demolition of Karachi’s Sea Breeze building
“How is possible that a building has been present in Karachi since the last 40 years and no one has encroached upon it,” remarked Justice Ahmed.
The director general of the Sindh Building Control Authority was asked to appear before the three-member bench, comprising justices Faisal Arab and Sajjad Ali Shah.
The court expressed its displeasure over the performance of the relevant authorities. “You are not doing your job or providing any solution to the problem,” said Justice Ahmed.
“Sea Breeze complex should’ve been examined,” the judge told the DG. “It is your responsibility.” He also advised the government official to consult the cantonment board and other experts on the matter.
The judge then asked the director general to provide him with the exact number of buildings in the city. When the DG replied that there must be 400 to 500 buildings, the bench then criticised him for failing to do his job properly.
Related: Wedding halls up next after the demolition of shops in Karachi’s Saddar
“You are the DG and not an accountant. This is the height of shamelessness,” said Justice Ahmed. “You have sold your respect, your conscience, your body and you still haven’t stopped.”
He added, “Do you think we don’t know what’s going on here?”
Justice Shah asked him who had given the approval for an 11-storey building on a 30-acre land in Delhi Colony but the director general couldn’t provide him with an answer.
The court has summoned the Nespak chairperson and a Pakistan Engineering Council representative at the next hearing on August 9, Friday.
On November 23, the top court had ordered the demolition of the Sea Breeze building. The Karachi Cantonment Board had even issued eviction notices to the shop owners at the building and asked them to vacate it by May 27. According to the Karachi Cantonment Board spokesperson, the shops occupy just 10% of the building while the rest of it is empty.
At the last hearing, Iftikhar Hussain Gilani, who is the lawyer of the petitioner, said that no report says that the building has been ruined. Nespak has reviewed it and we should wait for its report, he told the court. There are shops and warehouses inside the building and its demolition will affect 200 people, Gilani added.
https://www.samaa.tv/news/2019/08/supreme-court-worried-by-state-of-karachis-sea-breeze-building/
