Karachi: The Sindh government has reaffirmed its policy for the regularisation of katchi abadis, with settlements established on or before December 31, 2011 eligible for consideration, while settlements developed after the cutoff date will be treated as encroachments.
Under the current framework, eligible settlements must also meet the applicable requirements under the Sindh Katchi Abadis Act, 1987 and related regulations. A No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the Board of Revenue is now required as part of the regularisation process.
The policy is significant given the large number of informal settlements across Sindh, particularly in Karachi. However, meeting the cutoff date alone does not automatically guarantee regularisation or the issuance of a lease.
For residents, authorities will need to verify the settlement’s eligibility and land status before the regularisation process can proceed. Meanwhile, property buyers should carefully check the settlement’s official status, ownership records and required NOCs before purchasing property in an informal settlement.
A decision regarding resettlement plots in Lines Area is also expected within the coming days, potentially providing further clarity on how the policy will be implemented in specific cases.
