‘Rift’ between KDA, Sindh govt swallows picnickers on beach every year

Many drown each year in a ditch adjacent to site of Karachi’s Eid tragedy

Sindh government, KDA have claimed rights to sell out and utilise this land

Real owners devoid of ownership rights

The negligence of respective departments and high tide are being held responsible for killings of 36 persons at Sea View in Karachi but the incident is reportedly an offshoot of a long conflict between the Sindh government and Karachi Development Authority (KDA).

According to reports, a command and control system was to be put in place at the site of tragedy 35 years before, during Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto’s tenure as prime minister.

The land adjacent to this area was to be used for recreational activities but the owners to whom the land was sold out are still making running to the Supreme Court (SC) for obtaining ownership rights.

Sources said the persons who had occupied the land illegally had started a digging process after the land was auctioned. The real owners of the land turned to court to acquire the ownership rights of the land but the government and Defence Housing Authority (DHA) did not pay any heed and the ditch was left unattended.

Every year several people are killed by drowning in this ditch, sources said.

In 1998, then finance minister Syed Sardar Ahmad sold out the land through auction rather than handing over its possession to the original land owners.

According to reports, the Sindh government and KDA both claimed their right on selling out and utilising this land for several years. At one stage, when the Sindh government’s privatisation committee leased out the land adjacent to Hyperstar, KDA declared the process illegal and the real owners of the land were forced to run to KDA and DHA authority.

KDA director general SM Misbah through a letter dated August 7, 1998 had opposed leasing out 22 cusecs land on the coastal line and threatened to resort to legal proceedings. The lease process was stalled following the threat.

The then KDA DG SM Misbah was of the opinion that he had gone to Saudi Arabia for performance of Haj and in his absence the meeting of privatization committee was convened in April 13, 1998. KDA subordinate officers were summoned but they were not heard. According to reports, KDA scheme located in Clifton under the name of Kehkshan was proposed in 1958 and its notification was issued on October 6, 1994.

In 1998, KDA was of the view that coastal land will be used for commercial purpose after it is leased and the picnickers will be deprived of their right of picnicking. In consequence of this process carried out by KDA, the right of the citizens on picnicking was reserved but the ditch dug out therein was not filled in and keeps swallowing picnickers to date.