PPP govt under fire for allowing commercial use of residential spaces in Karachi

• Opposition demands withdrawal of changes to Karachi Town Planning and Building Regulations
• PTI says Sindh govt move will transform Karachi into a dense, unliveable concrete mass; Muttahida files resolution in PA; Jamaat ready to move SHC

KARACHI: The Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) government in Sindh came under fire over recent amendments to the Karachi Town Planning and Building Regulations, which permit the commercial use of residential properties, as three major opposition parties rejected the changes and demanded their immediate withdrawal, arguing that they would destroy the already deteriorating urban infrastructure.

On March 13, the Sindh Building Control Authority (SBCA) director general had issued a notification which modified the definition of ‘amenity plot’ and inserted a new land use term, ‘Commercial/Residential-cum Commercial Use,’ allowing use of residential properties for commercial purposes/

PTI sends letter to CS

The Sindh chapter president of the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf, Haleem Adil Sheikh, took strong exception to the SBCA law amendments, warning that the changes could have grave consequences for Karachi’s urban environment, legal order, and quality of life.

In a letter addressed to the chief secretary of Sindh, the PTI leader expressed deep concern over what he described as sweeping legal revisions that appear to legitimise unregulated construction across the metropolis.

He cautioned that the move could transform Karachi into a dense, unliveable concrete mass, compounding the city’s existing infrastructural and environmental challenges.

Highlighting the city’s growing vulnerability to climate change and extreme heat events, the PTI leader warned that the unchecked construction encouraged under the amended rules would lead to a dangerous reduction in green and open spaces.

He also criticised the commercialization of roads with widths as narrow as 60 feet, stating that the move would exacerbate traffic congestion and encroachments in residential areas. The regularisation of restaurants under the broad category of “recreational use” was also called into question, with the PTI leader arguing that this would erode the sanctity of residential neighbourhoods and invite further violations.

Mr Sheikh pointed out that under the new amendments, educational institutions could be set up without feasibility assessments or planning considerations, potentially burdening local infrastructure and disrupting residential life.

He alleged that the changes had been enacted to benefit certain influential groups and had resulted in the overnight regularisation of thousands of previously unauthorised or illegal constructions. The decision, he said, had been taken unilaterally without consulting key urban planning and land-owning agencies.

Calling on the chief secretary to intervene, the PTI leader demanded the immediate withdrawal of the amendments and recommended that the government initiate a comprehensive consultation process with all relevant stakeholders.

‘Conspiracy to destroy urban life’

The Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) took the parliamentary route to resist the amendments.

Leader of the Opposition in the Sindh Assembly Ali Khurshidi submitted a resolution with the assembly secretariat against the SBCA’s decision, calling it a part of the “builder mafia’s agenda.”

“We believe that the plan to convert residential areas into commercial zones is a conspiracy to destroy urban life,” said Mr Khurshidi. “The PPP government has sacrificed Karachi’s master plan to benefit influential individuals. The amendments to the Karachi Town Planning and Building Regulations serve the interests of the builder mafia, not the public.”

He said: “We won’t let this happen and would foil the conspiracy to turn Karachi into a commercial waste dump.”

A couple of days ago, senior MQM-P leader and Federal Health Minister Syed Mustafa Kamal had said that his party rejected the amendments. He also demanded that the PPP withdraw the controversial changes.

JI wants SBCA chief removed

Leader of the opposition in the City Council, Advocate Saifuddin raised almost the same concerns and sought debate on the subject in the council. He demanded the SBCA’s control under the city administration.

“The PPP government aims at destroying the already shaken Karachi through amendments to Karachi Building and Town Planning Regulations,” he said in a statement.

The City Council opposition leader, who belongs to the Jamaat-i-Islami (JI), said the amendments by the Sindh government were aimed at benefiting the influential elite and sheltering illegitimate constructions.

Demanding removal of the SBCA DG, Mr Saifuddin said the DG had approved several amendments to the building regulations while totally ignoring the elected local government.

He added that amendments in the Rule 27 had kicked out the land used for educational, health and welfare activities from the amenity list. The amendment in Regulation 232 introduced another category of residential-cum-commercial under which the residential land could be used for business purposes, the JI leader said.

Also on Monday, JI-Karachi chief Monem Zafar told a press conference that his party would move the high court against the amendments.

He said that the JI was deliberating with lawyers on the matter.

“The PPP has turned Karachi into ruins. To pinch salt to the wounds, the PPP government has amended the building bylaws,” he said. “These amendments in fact provide legal cover to the commercial usage of residential properties. The amendments have been made to facilitate a very few influential capitalists.”

Published in Dawn, April 8th, 2025