Karachi Division

Karachi | ReNews Pakistan
The Sindh government has launched a renewed initiative to resolve long standing issues faced by genuine land allottees, accelerate the disposal of pending land disputes and strengthen action against illegal encroachments across the province.
The decision was taken during a meeting of the Provincial Cabinet's Land Committee chaired by Sindh Minister for Local Government Nasir Hussain Shah. The committee reviewed complaints relating to land allotments, illegal occupations, delayed case settlements and administrative issues involving provincial land development authorities.
During the meeting, the minister directed all relevant departments to prepare a comprehensive and verified list of genuine affected allottees so that their cases can be resolved transparently, fairly and strictly on merit. He stressed that public complaints should be addressed without unnecessary delays and instructed officials to improve coordination to ensure faster relief for citizens.
Nasir Hussain Shah said the provincial government is committed to protecting the legal rights of legitimate land allottees and ensuring that illegally occupied properties are returned to their rightful owners. He announced that the government would seek the support of police and other law enforcement agencies to vacate encroached plots and facilitate their restoration to genuine beneficiaries.
The minister also informed the committee that several plots and government owned lands under the jurisdiction of the Malir Development Authority (MDA), Lyari Development Authority (LDA) and Karachi Development Authority (KDA) have already been recovered from illegal occupants. He added that anti encroachment operations will continue across the province to protect public assets and prevent further illegal occupation of government land.
Emphasising a transparent and accountable approach, Shah advised affected citizens to first approach the relevant development authorities to register their complaints and seek administrative resolution before pursuing other legal avenues. He reaffirmed that the government remains committed to ensuring justice for genuine allottees while safeguarding public property through sustained enforcement and institutional reforms.

Karachi: [ReNews Pakistan]
A comprehensive fire safety audit carried out across Karachi has revealed significant shortcomings in compliance with fire safety regulations, exposing serious risks in hundreds of commercial and residential buildings across the city. The inspection found that less than half of the surveyed buildings substantially complied with mandatory fire safety standards, highlighting the urgent need for stronger enforcement and improved emergency preparedness.
The citywide audit was ordered by the Sindh government following the devastating Gul Plaza fire on M.A. Jinnah Road in January, which raised serious concerns over building safety and emergency response systems. Authorities inspected 783 commercial and residential buildings across Karachi’s seven districts, evaluating compliance with approved building plans, structural safety requirements, emergency exits, firefighting equipment and overall fire risk.
According to the consolidated audit report, 370 buildings, representing approximately 47% of those inspected, were found to be substantially compliant with fire safety regulations. Another 298 buildings were classified as partially compliant, while 115 buildings failed to meet basic safety requirements and were declared non-compliant.
The findings also revealed widespread violations of building regulations. As many as 408 buildings did not possess approved building layouts, while 455 structures had not been constructed according to their sanctioned plans. Inspectors further found that 416 buildings lacked proper emergency exits, significantly increasing evacuation risks during emergencies, and 310 buildings were operating without portable fire extinguishers.
Overall, 239 buildings were identified as high-risk structures due to multiple safety deficiencies.
District Central recorded the highest number of high-risk buildings, with 103 unsafe structures identified, followed by District South, where 65 buildings were classified as high risk. In contrast, Keamari demonstrated the strongest overall compliance with fire safety regulations, while Korangi recorded the highest number of substantially compliant buildings.
Officials noted that unauthorized alterations and deviations from approved building plans frequently block access routes, reduce evacuation capacity and eliminate essential fire safety features such as compartmentalisation, allowing fires to spread more rapidly during emergencies.
The audit has underscored the pressing need for stricter enforcement of building regulations, regular safety inspections and stronger coordination between civic authorities and emergency response agencies to improve public safety and reduce the risk of future fire-related disasters across Karachi.

Karachi | ReNews Pakistan
The World Bank is preparing a USD 150 million programme to modernise Sindh’s urban property tax system, with the objective of increasing property tax revenues, improving municipal financial management, and strengthening public service delivery across 45 local councils.
According to a World Bank project document, the proposed Sindh Property Revenues Enhancement Program is scheduled to undergo a technical review on August 31, 2026, and is expected to be presented to the World Bank’s Board for approval later this year.
The programme will be financed through the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) under the Program-for-Results (PforR) financing model. Under this approach, funding is linked to the achievement of specific performance targets, including improvements in property tax collection, financial management, and public expenditure systems.
A key component of the initiative is the introduction of a fully digitised property tax management system to modernise the administration of the Urban Immovable Property Tax (UIPT). The reforms will also focus on improving taxpayer compliance, strengthening tax administration, enhancing financial management practices within local governments, and introducing more transparent and efficient revenue collection mechanisms.
Beyond tax administration, the programme will provide support for priority urban infrastructure projects, institutional capacity building, and broader reforms in property tax and land administration systems across Karachi and other major cities in Sindh. These measures are intended to strengthen the financial capacity of local governments and improve the delivery of essential municipal services.
The World Bank noted that Pakistan’s property tax remains significantly underutilised. Current property tax revenues account for only 0.13 percent of the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP), a level considerably lower than that of many comparable low- and middle-income countries. The Bank believes that strengthening property taxation will provide local governments with a more sustainable source of revenue to finance infrastructure development, urban services, and long-term municipal improvements.
If approved, the programme is expected to become one of the most significant property tax reform initiatives undertaken in Sindh, supporting digital governance, improving fiscal sustainability, and helping local authorities generate stronger domestic revenues for future urban development.