Karachi’s billion rupee loss

The Sindh’s inquiries and anti-corruption establishment has unearthed a mega corruption scandal worth Rs 5 billion in the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) and the Sindh Building Control Authority (SBCA), which were collected from the people of the city since 2008.

Inside sources told Pakistan Today that the Sindh Building Control Authority had collected more than Rs 5 billion from Karachiites under the claims of Betterment Charges on the construction of high-rise/multi-storied buildings.

According to sources, the SBCA made amendments in the Karachi Building and Town Planning Regulations, 2002 through which the covered area of plot is governed by floor area ratio (FAR) and not number of floors. “The load over the existing infrastructure has increased and SBCA has also recovered Rs 50 per sq ft from the owners/builders of plots which lie outside the boundary limit of KDA schemes”, sources added.

Interestingly, the sources disclosed that officials of the Finance Section, SBCA transferred more than Rs 3772.172 million to the defunct City District Government Karachi which is now the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation. Sources said that the SBCA Director Administration had also disclosed this before the NAB investigators few months ago, however, the matter was brushed under the carpet.

The inquiries and anti-corruption department has now forwarded a letter to the Director General SBCA asking for provision of details about the utilization of betterment charges.

“Whereas the competent authority has taken cognizance of the complaint under the provisions of Rules and Laws governing criminal jurisprudence. That during the course of probe, it has been surfaced that huge amount collected by SBCA in the head of betterment charges has been further allocated to various entities but has either not been utilized or partially utilized and huge amount has been siphoned off, illegally”, a letter read, a copy of which is exclusively available with Pakistan Today.

“According to the matter required, through inquiry because of large stakes of the public, you are therefore requested to provide complete attested details with effect from January 2008 till date within 3 days on receipt of this letter to the undersigned at Barrack No 14 Court Road, Sadder Karachi in above referred. Compliance is must under the law to avoid any complications”, the letter adds.

BY AFTAB CHANNA