KARACHI – The Sindh Board of Revenue (BoR) has submitted a comprehensive report regarding the land records and ownership status of Gul Plaza to the relevant authorities. The report clarifies the long-standing legal status of the land, tracing its history back over 150 years.
Ownership and Legal Status
According to the Senior Member of the Board of Revenue, the report was compiled using records from the District Registrar Karachi, Deputy Director Lands (KMC), and the Mukhtiarkar of Saddar. The investigation confirms that the land, measuring approximately 8,128 square yards (Plot No. 32, PR-1), is officially owned by the Provincial Government. While the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) exercised limited administrative and financial powers over the site, it was never the absolute owner. Historically, the land was originally transferred to the Karachi Municipality in 1873 under Resolution No. 6072 of the Bombay Government’s Revenue Department.
The Lease Timeline
The report highlights a complex history of leases and private transfers. In 1936, a 99-year lease was granted to the East India Tramways Company Limited. Curiously, the agreement stated the lease was effective retrospectively from July 9, 1884. However, no record exists of this agreement being approved or validated under the Tramways Act of 1886 or any other subsequent law. In 1950, the land was transferred to private individuals. At that time, the East India Tramways Company was registered in London under British law. Later, in 1976, all shares were transferred to an individual named Anwar Ali, and in 1983, the plot was purchased by M/S Janika Limited.
Regulatory Oversight
The Board of Revenue noted that while the City of Karachi Municipal Act 1933 protected laws related to tramways, the core ownership remained with the provincial government. KMC’s authority was strictly limited to issuing leases and collecting revenues. The report further mentions that there is no record of any audit or review to ensure that the original terms of the land use for Gul Plaza were ever complied with. Furthermore, no documentation exists to either verify or refute KMC’s specific claims of absolute ownership beyond the 1873 resolution.
