MORE than 30 years ago in April 1993, the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) had announced the launching of the Landhi Cottage Industry Project near Bhains Colony, inviting applications with a non-refundable fee of Rs100 for plots of land measuring 200 square yards. The target community was that of educated, skilled youths of Karachi.

Unsurprisingly, the KMC earned millions of rupees from applications alone.

Three months later in July 1993, 2,334 applicants were declared successful. I was among the `lucky` ones.

The allottees made all the payments as per the KMC schedule, from which the latter has made a profit worth millions of rupees so far. But KMC has failed to hand over the plots to the allottees till now. The allottees have visited the KMC offices a number of times, but have never received any adequate response.

About three or four years ago, the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) had invited complaints from the affected people of various development schemes, including the Landhi project.

I had also submitted an application with documentary evidence, but no practical steps have so far been taken to resolve the issue.

It was found through newspapers that illegal encroachments on the project land, including buffalo enclosures, have been established. The affected allottees subsequently filed a petition in the Sindh High Court seeking justice. Progress is still awaited.

The relevant authorities, especially the city mayor, should take the matter rather seriously and immediately resolve the issue by ending the illegal occupation and handing over the plots ofland to the owners without any further loss of time.

Sheikh Muhammad Ishaq Karachi