Sindh Building Control Authority (SBCA) has withdrawn its review to allow commercial activities on housing plots.

A written statement confirming the withdrawal was submitted to Sindh High Court by SBCA General Muhammad Ishaq Khuhro.

The Supreme Court heard petitions filed against SBCA’s steps to enable commercial use of housing places.

In his written response, SBCA stated that it canceled the message issued on March 13, 2025.

After this, the Court of Court of Petitions filed by Jamaat-e-Islami and others.

The petitions submitted by the City Council’s opposition leader Saifuddin lawyer and nine urban chairmen claimed that SBCA had changed the Karachi building and urban planning regulations to change the definition of facility plans. They claimed that facility diagrams cannot legally be used for purposes other than their original intention.

The petries also claimed that the amendment removed “healthcare” from the list of approved applications for facilities and that residential areas were reused for education, healthcare and recreational use without public consent.

They claimed that the audit also eliminated the public’s right to object to land transfers.

Separately, SBCA has recalled the recent changes made in the Karachi building in 2002 and urban planning. This reversal followed a political review of the changes introduced through the march message.

According to the latest SBCA circular, the changes are canceled with immediate effect. The authority exercised its powers under section 21-A in Sindh Building Control Ordinance, 1979 and other relevant provisions.

The circular was officially signed by Director General Muhammad Ishaq Khuhro.