Karachi, Pakistan (HRNW)- Significant progress has been made in the investigation into the Gul Plaza tragedy, as the Judicial Commission received detailed responses from the Municipal Commissioner of the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) and the Sindh Board of Revenue regarding land ownership and usage rights.
In a written statement, the Municipal Commissioner of KMC maintained that no approval was ever granted to change the designated use or purpose of the land on which Gul Plaza stands. This stance was corroborated by the Director of Land, who confirmed that official government records contain no documentation of any such conversion or approval.
Ownership Disputes and Historical Context
Conversely, the Senior Member of the Sindh Board of Revenue submitted a report classifying the Gul Plaza land as provincial government property. The report suggests the land was originally owned by the Karachi Municipality before being leased to the East India Tramway Company Limited in 1936 on a 99-year lease.
However, the report also admits to a lack of clear records that could definitively verify or refute KMC’s ownership claims. Furthermore, there is no evidence on record of any audit or review conducted to ensure compliance with the original terms of the land’s usage.
Judicial Commission Issues Fresh Notices
After reviewing the submissions, the Judicial Commission issued a formal notice to the Senior Member of the Board of Revenue seeking further clarification. The Commission has raised critical questions regarding the documentary basis for claiming the land was allotted specifically for “tramway purposes,” noting that the current record fails to specify any such intended use.
The Commission has further questioned whether it was the Board of Revenue’s responsibility to conduct a survey to determine and record the land’s purpose in the absence of clear documentation. The Senior Member has been directed to submit a comprehensive report addressing all these queries to the Commission Secretariat immediately.
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