KDA Proposal to Develop Prime Karachi Land with Private Firms Sparks Criticism
Employees and opposition leaders question the authority’s plan to partner with private developers, urging it to recover encroached land instead of using key public assets.
Prime KDA-owned land in Karachi proposed for public-private development projects.
KDA proposal to develop several prime public properties through public-private partnerships has sparked criticism from employees and opposition leaders, who argue that the Karachi Development Authority should recover encroached land instead of handing valuable assets to private developers.
The proposal identifies several KDA-owned sites across Karachi for residential, commercial and mixed-use developments to generate revenue for the financially troubled authority.
The proposal includes around 28 acres near the KDA Officers Housing Society on Stadium Road, approximately 15 acres in the KDA Staff Colony in North Nazimabad, nearly four acres occupied by the KDA field office in Federal B Area, and about 1,900 square yards in KDA Scheme-1.
If approved, the Karachi Development Authority will launch its first public-private partnership to develop its own land instead of independently introducing housing schemes, marking a major shift from its traditional role.
AI Achieves Perfect Score at the International Mathematical Olympiad
According to the proposal, the authority aims to generate funds, clear billions of rupees in liabilities and revive its role in Karachi’s housing sector after years of inactivity.
However, the proposal has triggered concern among KDA employees, who fear the authority may sacrifice some of its most valuable assets instead of developing them independently.
KDA Employees Union President Abdul Maroof described the proposal as “unprecedented” and said KDA officials had not formally briefed employees despite their role as key stakeholders.
He questioned why the authority was considering private partnerships while hundreds of acres of KDA land remained under illegal occupation.
“We understand the financial crisis and the outstanding dues of pensioners and employees, but these are our prime assets,” Maroof said. He urged the authority to reclaim encroached land and disclose full details of the proposal before making any final decision.
Leader of the Opposition in the Karachi City Council, Advocate Saifuddin of Jamaat-i-Islami, also criticised the plan, arguing that KDA land belongs to the people of Karachi and should remain dedicated to public welfare.
He warned that transferring prime public land to private developers would amount to corruption and called for complete transparency. He added that his party would challenge any decision it considered illegal through both legal action and public campaigns.
Responding to the criticism, KDA Director General Asif Jan Siddiqui said the proposal remained at an early stage and would likely take at least a year to reach implementation.
He explained that the authority’s financial position had changed significantly over the past decade, preventing it from launching new housing schemes.
Siddiqui said KDA faces mounting financial obligations, including pension payments and employee salaries, and believes the proposed partnerships offer the most practical way to generate resources and restore the authority’s role in Karachi’s housing sector.
Stakeholders are expected to scrutinise the proposal further as they seek greater transparency over the future of KDA’s public land and long-term development strategy.
