The Federal Constitutional Court of Pakistan overturned previous orders authorizing the demolition of illegally constructed buildings in Karachi, including the Nasla Tower [1].
This ruling shifts the legal authority over urban planning and building enforcement from the federal judiciary back to provincial governments. It effectively halts the immediate threat of demolition for several high-profile structures that had been flagged for illegal construction over the last several years.
The court's decision on July 10, 2026, recalls directives previously issued by the Supreme Court in 2018 and 2019 [1, 2]. Those earlier orders had provided the legal mandate to tear down buildings that violated construction codes in the city of Karachi [1].
In its ruling, the Federal Constitutional Court said that decisions regarding the demolition of illegal constructions fall within the jurisdiction of provincial authorities [1, 2]. The court determined that the judiciary had overstepped its bounds by issuing the demolition mandates, a task the court said belongs to the executive branch of the provincial government.
Nasla Tower has been a central point of contention in Karachi's struggle with unregulated urban growth. The building had faced years of legal uncertainty following the 2018 and 2019 Supreme Court mandates [1]. With the recall of these orders, the building is no longer under a direct federal mandate for demolition.
The ruling applies to the broader scope of the Supreme Court's previous directives concerning illegal constructions in Sindh province [1]. By recalling these orders, the court has placed the responsibility for enforcement, and potential demolition, back into the hands of local and provincial regulators [2].
“The Federal Constitutional Court of Pakistan overturned previous orders authorizing the demolition of illegally constructed buildings in Karachi.”
This ruling represents a significant jurisdictional shift in Pakistan's legal system, reinforcing the separation of powers between the judiciary and provincial executive authorities. By ruling that the courts cannot mandate demolitions, the FCC has limited the judiciary's role to interpreting the law rather than executing urban planning enforcement. This may lead to a period of regulatory uncertainty in Karachi as the provincial government determines whether to pursue its own demolition orders or grant amnesty to illegal structures.
