Land Control (Karachi Division) Act, 1952

This law is a very old (1952) act that gives the government power to control construction and occupation of land in specific "controlled areas" within the Karachi Division. Its purpose, as stated in the preamble, is to prevent unauthorised occupation of land and unauthorised building, and to allow eviction from such land and buildings.

Section 3 lets the Provincial Government declare any area a "controlled area" by notification in the official Gazette, and the Authorised Officer (a government officer appointed for that area) must publish the boundaries in local newspapers. Section 4 requires plans of the controlled area to be kept open for public inspection.

Once an area is controlled, Section 5 prohibits anyone from erecting or re-erecting a building, or making or extending an excavation, without prior written permission from the Authorised Officer. Section 6 sets out how to apply for that permission and lets the officer grant it (with conditions) or refuse it, or cancel it later for breach of conditions.

If a building is put up without permission, Sections 7 and 8 let the Authorised Officer order its removal by the owner, and Sections 9 and 11 let occupiers or unauthorised occupants be evicted, using force if necessary, after notice. Section 10 lets the officer demolish the building at the owner's expense if the owner doesn't comply, and Section 22 lets that expense be recovered like unpaid land revenue.

Section 13 makes it an offence to break these rules, punishable with a fine which may extend to one thousand rupees or, in default, simple imprisonment which may extend to six months. Section 16 bars civil courts from questioning the Authorised Officer's orders, but Section 17 allows an appeal to the Commissioner within fifteen days. This is a colonial-era statute repeatedly amended by later Adaptation Orders (A.O., 1964), so current administrative titles and procedures should be checked against the current official text.