Karachi Division

Karachi: [ReNews Pakistan]
The Karachi Development Authority has sought approval from the Sindh Local Government Department to develop a portfolio of prime land and properties valued at approximately Rs 90 billion through public private partnerships.
Under the proposal, several high value land parcels owned by the authority would be offered to private companies for joint development and commercial management. The KDA Director General has formally requested permission from the provincial government, while a summary has also been submitted to the Local Government Department for approval.
The proposed portfolio includes around 28 acres of land near the KDA Officers Housing Society on Stadium Road, 15 acres in the KDA Staff Colony in North Karachi and nearly four acres currently occupied by a KDA field office in the Federal Area.
Several other plots, buildings and land holdings owned by the authority in different parts of Karachi have also been identified for possible inclusion in the initiative.
If approved, the selected properties would be developed and managed in collaboration with private sector companies under a public private partnership framework. The combined open market value of the identified assets is estimated at around Rs 90 billion.
KDA officials believe the plan could unlock the commercial potential of underused public land and create a substantial long term source of income for the financially strained authority.
The development body has been facing mounting financial pressures, including pension liabilities, unpaid dues to retired employees and difficulties in ensuring the timely payment of salaries to serving staff.
Under the proposed arrangement, revenue generated through the development, lease or commercial use of the properties would be used to strengthen KDA’s financial position.
The income is expected to help clear outstanding payments owed to retired employees, reduce pension liabilities and improve the authority’s ability to meet salary, administrative and operational expenses.
The proposal has, however, raised concerns among KDA employees, who fear that valuable public properties could effectively pass into private control under the pretext of addressing the authority’s financial difficulties.
Employees and other stakeholders are expected to seek clarity over the ownership structure, duration of partnership agreements, revenue sharing formula, valuation process and legal safeguards for public land.
Questions may also arise over whether the identified properties would be leased, jointly developed or handed over to private companies through long term concession agreements.
Any approval would therefore require a transparent regulatory and contractual framework covering independent land valuation, competitive bidding, project feasibility, development rights, revenue sharing and the continued protection of public ownership.
The Sindh Local Government Department has not yet announced a final decision on the proposal.
KDA has urged the provincial authorities to approve the plan, arguing that the partnership model could enable the authority to develop its underutilised assets without relying entirely on government funding.
The proposal could become one of the largest land based financial restructuring initiatives undertaken by a civic development authority in Karachi.
Its success, however, would depend on open competition, independent valuation, transparent agreements and clear safeguards ensuring that public assets are commercially utilised without compromising public ownership, institutional accountability or the wider public interest.

Karachi: [ReNews Pakistan]
The Sindh High Court has ordered all parties to maintain the status quo in a case concerning a proposed construction project adjacent to the historic Mohatta Palace, while scheduling final arguments for the first week of August.
During the hearing, the Additional Advocate General (AAG) informed the court that the provincial heritage authorities had acted promptly after learning about excavation activities at the site. According to the AAG, the Culture, Tourism, Antiquities and Archives Department immediately issued a show cause notice, suspended the excavation work and referred the matter to its technical and advisory committees for detailed examination.
The government maintained that no unrestricted approval had been granted for the project. Instead, any permission was conditional and followed extensive deliberations by the relevant authorities. The conditions required an independent structural assessment, strict compliance with heritage conservation guidelines and a complete prohibition on excavation until a structural safety report had been submitted and reviewed.
The AAG further argued that the proposed building must remain lower in height than the historic Mohatta Palace and should not cause any structural, architectural or environmental damage to the adjoining protected heritage property. He told the court that the heritage department had consistently instructed the project's consultant to adopt all necessary safety measures and ensure that preservation of the palace remained the highest priority throughout the planning process.
Separate comments were also submitted by the Culture, Antiquities and Archives Department and the Director General of Antiquities and Archaeology, supporting the government's position on the matter.
Counsel representing the remaining respondents requested additional time to submit their replies, which the court accepted.
After hearing the preliminary submissions, the bench adjourned the proceedings to a date to be fixed in the first week of August. In its order, the court directed all parties to present their arguments at the next hearing and instructed them to maintain the existing position at the site until further orders.
The case centres on concerns over the potential impact of nearby construction on Mohatta Palace, one of Karachi's most prominent protected heritage landmarks. The court's interim order ensures that no further changes will take place at the disputed location until the legal issues surrounding the project are fully examined.

Karachi: [ReNews Pakistan]
The Karachi Development Authority (KDA) and the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) have reviewed a range of affordable financing initiatives designed to improve the financial well being of government employees, with a particular focus on expanding access to low cost housing finance and essential financial services.
The initiatives were discussed during a meeting between senior KDA officials and a delegation from the State Bank of Pakistan led by Muhammad Daniyal Khan, Assistant Director of the Financial Inclusion Division. The meeting focused on strengthening financial inclusion and creating greater awareness among public sector employees about financing facilities available through the country's banking system.
During the briefing, SBP officials highlighted several financing programmes currently being offered through scheduled banks. A key feature of the discussion was the subsidised housing finance scheme that enables eligible government employees to obtain loans for purchasing or constructing homes at a concessional markup rate of 5 percent. The programme is intended to make home ownership more affordable for public sector workers while supporting the government's broader housing objectives.
In addition to housing finance, the SBP delegation presented financing facilities aimed at encouraging sustainable living and affordable mobility. These include zero markup or easy installment schemes for electric motorcycles, solar energy systems and CNG rickshaws. The programmes are expected to reduce transportation costs, promote clean energy adoption and improve financial accessibility for employees.
KDA Member Finance Naveed Anwar Siddiqui reaffirmed that employee welfare remains one of the authority's key priorities. He expressed confidence that greater awareness of these financing opportunities would enable employees to benefit from home ownership as well as other financial products that support long term economic stability.
To further simplify access to banking services, KDA announced plans to establish commercial bank counters at its head office. The initiative will allow employees to obtain information, submit applications and access financial services more conveniently without leaving the workplace.
The authority also plans to organise additional awareness sessions in collaboration with financial institutions so that employees can better understand the eligibility criteria, application procedures and benefits of the various financing schemes available to them. These efforts are expected to strengthen financial inclusion while encouraging wider participation in affordable housing and clean energy financing programmes.