LIFE in Karachi has become seriously challenging due to the growing population of the city, especially when it comes to providing housing to the increasing number of families. To address the issue, the concept of constructing ‘portions’ in houses has gained significant popularity in the city. These portions often appear cost-effective, newly-built, well-furnished and spacious. However, in reality, these portions lack legal validity, rendering their aforementioned qualities redundant.

The construction of these living spaces also creates numerous problems. It damages the sewerage system, exacerbates the already limited availability of water, electricity and gas, and causes all sorts of congestion, including the number of cars and motorcycles parked in lanes and streets.

According to clause 19(1) of the Sindh Building Control Ordinance 1978-82, the construction, advertising and sale of commercial constructions, portions/flats/units on residential plots are illegal. Those involved in such activities are guilty of a cognizable offence and deserve punishment.

The Sindh High Court, in multiple hearings of petitions against the construction of portions, has remarked that building portions is equivalent to destroying Karachi.

Despite the flaws associated with portions and the legality of the matter, the construction of portions is rampant in Karachi. For the last few months, we have been dealing with a similar issue. An illegal structure was being built in one of the squatter settlements in Nazimabad on an illegal plot of land.

The occupant possessed documents for only 23 square yards of land, while portions were being built on approximately 80 square yards. Additionally, the occupant sold some illegal land to another illegal occupant, who then constructed a three-storey building by merging the plots of land. This triggered a series of construction activity involving portions in the area.

We lodged complaints against this illegal activity with the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC), the Sindh Building Control Authority (SBCA), the central district administration, and other relevant departments. After a lapse of seven months and facing obstacles, a part of the illegal structure was finally demolished.

However, some individuals who were part of the demolition team manipulated the process. Instead of leaving the 23-yard portion intact and demolishing the rest, they did the opposite. Furthermore, the occupant and the builder mafia have continuously threatened and harassed the complainant’s family throughout the process, and this mistreatment is persisting.

The accompanying image clearly shows the legally-constructed structure on the right, and the illegality on the left. The spatial division between the two is dangerous and risky, reminiscent of the heart-breaking incident that occurred on March 5, 2020, in Gulbahar area, where two residential buildings had collapsed. If such a thing happens, who will take responsibility?

On the one hand, the mafia is harassing the family by having them summoned to the police station, explicitly threatening them with ‘consequences’ in case the complaint is not withdrawn.

On the other hand, the mafia is filing complaints of bribery and violence against the complainants. These false accusations are retaliatory measures taken by the squatters and the builder to cover up their unlawful activities and to undermine the credibility of administration officials.

If the complainants were driven by greed, it is only obvious that they would never have opted for taking the legal route of lodging a complaint. The deputy commissioner and other relevant authorities should take due action in this regard.

There should be a system to ensure the safety of complainants because area residents feel hesitant about making any legal move against the builder mafia due to threats, allowing the criminals to continue building illegal structures with complete impunity.

Sidra Anwar Quraishi
Karachi

Published in Dawn, July 2nd, 2023