KARACHI - Association of Builders and Developers (ABAD) has ended its seven-hour long sit-in after assurance by high official of Karachi Water and Sewerage Board about issuance of pending No Objection Certificate (NOC) to builders within a week.

According to details, Association of Builders and Developers, Pakistan on Thursday noon staged a protest rally from ABAD House located in Gulistan-e-Johar toward Karachi Water and Sewerage Board headquarters at Karsaz, Shahr-e-Faisal.

Later, a large number of builders associated with ABAD staged sit-in outside headquarter of Karachi Water and Sewerage Board (KW&SB), the protesters said that water board was not issuing NOCs for water connection to builders despite orders of the Supreme Court of Pakistan.

On the occasion, ABAD Chairman Muhammad Hassan Bakshi briefed the media that more than Rs600 billion investment had been stopped due to ban on construction of high-rise buildings in Karachi.

He said that the apex court had allowed construction of ground plus six buildings during last January but Sindh Building Control Authority had not granted a single approval in this regard because Karachi Water and Sewerage Board (KW&SB) was not giving NOC for water connection.

He lamented that millions of people including architects, engineers, labourers, were jobless due to the ban on construction of high-rise buildings in the port city.

Bakshi said that more than 50 percent of Karachi was slump ‘Katchi Abadi’ and if the ban on construction continued, more Katchi Abadis would emerge and one day most of the city would be the slump.

During the protest, Provincial Minister for Local Government Saeed Ghani in a statement stated that ABAD was protesting against irrelevant authority and it should contact the Water Commission to resolve its issues. The ban was imposed on the recommendation of water commission. He appealed the office bearers of ABAD to end the protest on immediate basis and remove the hurdles from the main artery of the city.

Meanwhile, Managing Director Karachi Water and Sewerage Board invited the high officials of ABAD for negotiations at his office. ABAD spokesperson told The Nation the protest was ended after seven hours on assurance by Managing Director KW&SB about issuance of pending 150 NOCs within a week while the Managing Director also issued 3 NOCs on the spot.

The spokesperson further informed that around 535 approvals of building Plans were pending due to the not issuing of NOCs by other concern authorities.  

PTI MNA Alamgir Khan, members of ABAD, senior members of Federation of Pakistan Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Karachi Chambers of Commerce and Industry, real estate and allied people played a positive role for restoration in issuance of NOC during meeting with KWSB.

Dr Farooq Sattar of MQM, while addressing protesters, demanded authorities to review their stance on stopping construction activity as a large number of skilled and semi skilled workers besides civil engineers had been deprived of their earnings. He also said that Sindh government should initiate work on K-IV project and 65 million gallon water supply per day project on war footings in order to supply water to city as well as builders for their construction projects.

Khalid Mahmood Sheikh, Managing Director KWSB said that it would be mandatory to every applicant seeking NOC to deposit 25 percent of total cost of water connection.

He said that Authority would follow agreed terms of accord signed between ABAD and KWSB in this regard.

He said that NOC was stopped on technical grounds but now it was decided that approval should be granted as KWSB as well as Authority had been deprived of fee.