Karachi administration decides to launch crackdown on illegal billboards

Karachi  –  The Karachi administration has decided to launch a crackdown against illegal billboards across the city. Karachi Commissioner Syed Hassan Naqvi has directed all Town Municipal Administrations (TMAs), Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC), cantonment boards, other development authorities and advertisers to ensure compliance with the relevant laws governing the installation of billboards.

He warned that all billboards must be brought within the legal framework or removed. The commissioner has given advertisers 15 days to fulfil the legal requirements and take immediate corrective measures.

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The decision was taken at a meeting chaired by Karachi Commissioner Syed Hassan Naqvi at his office. The meeting was attended by deputy commissioners, municipal commissioners of TMAs and KMC representatives of the advertisers association and officials of Cantonment boards and other relevant officials. Those present included Additional Commissioner Karachi-I Ghulam Mehdi Shah, Assistant Commissioner General Waqas Abbasi, all deputy commissioners (via video link), town municipal commissioners, Cantonment board officials, the Municipal Commissioner KMC and other concerned officers.

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Assistant Commissioner General Waqas Abbasi gave a detailed briefing on illegal billboards. He said that, on the commissioner’s directives, the Commissioner’s Office had completed a citywide survey to identify illegal billboards, bring them into compliance with the law and develop a comprehensive strategy to prevent future violations. According to the initial survey, 224 illegal billboards and hoardings have been identified in various districts of Karachi. These include 80 in district East, 81 in district Central, 47 in district South and 16 in district West.

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The commissioner said that the Commissioner’s Office had developed a comprehensive plan and strategy to remove illegal billboards and hoardings installed in violation of the rules, particularly those erected on roads and public property. He emphasised that the judgments of the High Court and Supreme Court would be implemented in letter and spirit and that all legal requirements would be fulfilled.

During the meeting, the illegal aspects of all 224 billboards were identified and examined. Commissioner Karachi reviewed photographs of individual billboards and explained the specific violations in each case. It was decided that billboards with minor deficiencies would be allowed to remain only after the necessary corrections had been made to bring them into compliance with the law.

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The meeting clarified that the installation of billboards or hoardings on public property is prohibited. Public property in this context includes roads, footpaths, road islands and medians, green belts and dividers, roundabouts, pedestrian walkways, drains and their banks, and other public places except pedestrian bridges.

The restrictions apply to billboards at public locations, including electronic billboards and structures installed at ground level.

The meeting was informed that a zero-tolerance policy had been adopted against all dangerous structures and installations that violate the law, whether erected on public or private property.

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DC East Nasrullah Abbasi, DC South Javed Nabi Khosa, DC West Zulfiqar Memon and DC Central Taha Saleem briefed the meeting on the measures being taken against illegal billboards in their respective districts.

The meeting was informed that all illegal billboards in district South and district East would be removed immediately. FIRs would also be registered under the Sindh Public Property (Removal of Encroachment) Act against the chief executive officers of advertising agencies responsible for violations, as well as officials who had issued the relevant permits.

The meeting also reviewed the establishment of vigilance committees comprising highly qualified and prominent architectural engineers in KMC and all 25 town municipal administrations (TMAs).

It was informed that notifications had so far been received from 14 TMAs, while steps were being taken to ensure immediate implementation by the remaining 11 TMAs.

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