KARACHI - The Sindh government will issue a notification soon for devising Master Plan for Karachi, which was ordered by Supreme Court, the judicial water commission was assured here on Monday.

The assurance came when Sindh Water Commission (SWC) took up the issue of Master Plan for Karachi. In March 2018, Commission had passed an order directing the Sindh government to issue a formal notification for the Master Plan, which was approved by Supreme Court in its judgment/order in 2007.

Shabbir Shah, Additional Advocate General (AAG) Sindh expressed his ignorance about the issuance of notification by Sindh government, However, Director General (DG) Sindh Building Control Authority (SBCA) disclosed that pursuant to the directives of the commission, the summary was floated that was returned, which is perhaps violation of Article 189 of the Constitution.

The Commission — headed by Justice Ameer Hani Muslim (Rtd) restrained from delaying in issuance of notification on the assurance of the AAG that the Notification will be issued promptly in compliance of the orders of Supreme Court without loss of time.

A compliance report shall be submitted positively a day after to the commission, AAG assured. Taking up the issue of conversion of industrial plots into commercial ones within industrial zones in Karachi and other parts of Sindh AAG submitted in the commission that the Secretary Industries has been transferred and hopefully, the present Secretary will continue till these proceedings are completed.

The chief secretary also has now been appointed and he also needs to be briefed on the issue, AAG stated. In view of these reasons, AAG requested time to update Chief Secretary to come back to the commission with the government’s point of view.

Commission ordered AAG to come up with the government’s version on October 09, 2018. In the intervening period Mr Abdul Sattar Pirzada Advocate shall be supplied all the relevant correspondence on the issue by the learned AAG within three days from today. The Registrar shall also provide the copies of the material which the Commission has on the issue.

Asif Hyder Shah shall interact with DC West, who shall hold enquiry into the matter and report back to him within a week and the grievance if genuine shall be redressed by the Water Board.