KARACHI – The legislation on the regularisation of unauthorized construction in the province will amount to the Unilateral Declaration of Illegality in Sindh. It will encourage illegal land grabbing in the future.
The text of the Ordinance proposed by the Sindh government will create obstruction in smooth legal proceedings of Courts. It would be pertinent to note that universal norms of town planning cannot be ignored in any circumstances including the legislature.
Let us remember that Karachi is the city of Quaid and any procedure of regularisation applied elsewhere in the country cannot justifiably be an example for the Metropolis. Moreover, there seems no emergency to promulgate the scheme through Ordinance because this is not an issue that has emerged suddenly. The only possible excuse for the enforcement of law in hurry is to defeat ongoing legal proceedings on the subject.
It is also not understood that the simple inclusion of a retired judge of the apex court in the Commission for regularisation will authorize the setup to discharge judicial functions.
No civilized society can tolerate violation of layout plans and building control laws. It is also ironic that the text of the proposed legislature restricts Courts of Law to proceed on any decision, order, or procedure of the Commission.
