KARACHI: Under the patronage of the Secretary Local Government Board, Municipal Commissioner, Akhtar Sheikh has allowed illegal billboards in both civil and cantonment areas of the metropolis.
According to sources, officers of DMC East’s Outdoor Advertising Department are allegedly involved in the corruption of billions of rupees by illegally allowing billboards on private properties.
As per the rules and regulations, for any billboards, it is necessary to pay the tax of the site to the concerned DMC in advance through pay order. However, in these areas, the companies have not been submitted pay orders.
To date, these advertisements have been hung on Clifton 26th Street buildings without a challan, which is allegedly causing a loss of Rs. 21 million to the department, sources added.
Sources disclosed Akhtar Sheikh has been given the additional post of Municipal Commissioner in District East, while corrupt inspector of external advertisements Fazal Abbas, who is suspended on the orders of Zameer Abbasi, is running illegal advertisements for Akhtar Sheikh, sources said.
“Inspector Adnan and Fazal Abbas have filled both the zones of Jamshed and Gulshan-e-Iqbal with external advertisements by collecting millions of rupees in bribes for billboards, steamers and wall pasting companies,” sources revealed.
The Advertising Department has started distributing verbal permits of billboards across the district against the orders of the Supreme Court.
Earlier, Commissioner Karachi had directed all the deputy commissioners (DCs) to remove all the billboards installed at public properties if deemed dangerous for the public, and ensure that no such billboards are installed on public properties in the city in the future.
He issued these orders while chairing a meeting to review the steps taken for ensuring the implementation of the orders of the Supreme Court (SC). The Chief Justice of Pakistan also directed the concerned officials to remove all the billboards and signboards across the city.
“The entire city is full of billboards,” said the judge during a hearing, adding that if these fall down then they can cause severe damage. He also asked Commissioner Karachi to submit a report on the matter.
