EFP demands restoring SITE drains to original status

KARACHI: The prime reason for the deteriorated and dilapidated condition of SITE Karachi has been the illegal allotment, annexation, encroachment, and regularization of open drains.

The recent rains have exposed the criminality done to the majority of the industries due to the connivance of certain industrialists and the management of SITE, a quasi-government body that manages industrial estates in Sindh.

This statement was issued by the Ismail Suttar, President of Employers Federation of Pakistan after an intensified hue and cry by SITE industrialists who suffered losses of hundreds of million Rupees because either the Nullahs were no more in existence or due to narrowed drains in the grid all across the estate.

Ismail Suttar further informed that a few years ago, the Supreme Court of Pakistan took cognizance of this grave matter and issued a suo moto order that all such construction, whether they be due to allotment, annexation, encroachment, and regularization must be demolished. Alas, SITE Ltd did not completely comply with the orders and hence occupiers of these Nullahs continue to maintain the status quo.

EFP expressed its surprise that in the Rs1.37 billion SITE Infrastructure Package approved by the Sindh Chief Minister, there is no mention of demolishment of these units built on the drains.

He further said that the Management of SITE has turned a blind eye to such construction as well as the proliferation of illegal kiosks, canteens, and other encroachments all over the estate.

“The Board of Directors of EFP deplores the lethargic, indifferent and unconcerned attitude of SITE Ltd in improving the infrastructure of the estate and blames the SITE Ltd for systematically destroying the first industrial estate of Pakistan whose foundation was laid by Quaid e Azam,” he disclosed.