20/06/2021
PRESS /MEDIA BRIEFING POINTS
HOW MANY PEOPLE’S ARE AFFECTED?
AAJ Employees: 600 (Approx. their Family Members: 2400)
Daily Wagers: 50-60 (Approx. their Family Members: 240)
Trainees / Internees: 27
Shopkeepers: 315 (Approx. their Family Members: 1260)
Shopkeepers Support Staff 700 (Approx. their Family Members: 2800)
Customers: 3 Million/Annum (approximately variable)
Members & Family 0.54 Million/Annum (approximately variable)
Owners Loss: 3 Billion
Business Confidence: Public Private Partnership will be affected amongst the investors not only country wide but also foreign investors.
Federal Government Revenue Losses:
FBR: Rs.28.26 Million/Annam (approximately variable)
EOBI Rs.1.73 Million/Annam (approximately variable)
Provincial Government Revenue Losses:
SRB: Rs.25 Million/Annam (approximately variable)
Excise & Taxation
1. Property Tax: Rs.1.5 Million/Annam (approximately variable)
2. Professional Tax: Rs.0.13 Million/Annam (approximately variable)
3. Entertainment Duty: Rs.17.5 Million/Annam (approximately variable)
4. Social Security (SESSI): Rs.1.49 Million/Annam (approximately variable)
KMC BENEFITS FROM AAJ
Rs.31.29 Million/Annam (approximately variable)
KMC LOSSES FOR THE LAST 5 FINANCIAL YEARS (2014 TO 2018):
1. Rs.3.625 Billion on KMC operated Parks, Zoo & Sports Complexes.
2. KMC will lose more than Rs.50 Million/Annam (approximately).
3. KMC will incur expenditure in million of rupees for operation & maintenance of Aladin Park.
PUBLIC INTEREST DAMAGES
1. PEC membership up to June 2021. No waiting list & filtration of membership was done. Income from PEC is continuously re-invested for the more facilities to members of PEC. 0.54 Million/Annum (approximately variable) families have been entertained with healthy recreational / sports activities.
2. As per approved lay out plan of AFC, Left Wing Shops were 161 and Right Wing Shops were 154 (Total 315 Shops + 2 Halls + 1 Public Washroom). These shops were sub-leased through auction & 25% of the sale amount was received by the KMC. For the remaining 95 unauctioned shops, the company had paid Rs: 12,00,000/- (Twelve Lacs) per annum towards the rent of vacant KMC’s shops.
3. The recreational services provided by the Company in the Aladin Amusement Park (37+ Rides & Other Free Swings & Seesaws etc) & Pavilion End Club (40+ Sports related facilities) are not only economical but also affordable to all income group of general public, which can be compared to all other parks not in Karachi but also all over the country.
AGREEMENTS/LEASE DETAILS:
1. KMC Advertisement for Amusement Park Jang Karachi dated 17-07-1994
2. TOR issued by the KMC July 1994
3. Agreement dated 30-05-1995 (Administrator Faheem-uz-Zaman)
4. Agreement dated 09-04-1996 (Mayor Farooq Sattar)
5. Lease Deed for 25 years dated 22nd April 1996 (Mayor Farooq Sattar)
6. Addenda Lease dated 21-03-1998 (Administrator Faheem-uz-Zaman)
7. Settlement Agreement dated 26-10-2004 (Nazim CDGK, Naimatullah Khan)
8. Sub-Addendum dated 23-09-2014 (Administrator Rauf Akhter Farooqi)
9. Decree by the Hon High Court of Sindh in Suit No: 1054/2014 on 19-11-2014
10. Joint SURVEY & RE-DEMARCATION from 13-04-2015 to 16-04-2015 by KMC & Revenue officers. Allowed Commercial Area 5% but as per Said Physical Survey Report the area was less than 3%. The total area under possession was found 51.81 Acres.
PUBLIC OPINION
The Supreme Court ordered the local administration to demolish the Pavilion End Club located within the confines of Aladin Amusement Park in Gulshan-e-Iqbal, Karachi.
This maneuver is another swift addition to several unilateral decisions made by the apex court in regard to “land encroachment” practices in the city. Long time members of the Club along with multi-fold regular patrons of the premises expressed reasonable frustration, disappointment and outrage.
“I’ve been a member of this Club for the past 8 years.” Stated a particularly upset member, “There’s hardly any safe, secure recreational areas left in this city, and the ones that people can actually rely on, are being demolished? Where do we take our families now?”
Due to lapses in urban development over decades for a myriad of reasons, the footprint of Karachi has been rendered devoid of green belts and recreational spaces for the growing urban populace, while the evolving skyline reflects a chock-a-block smattering of high rises and various developments of a similarly arbitrary nature.
“We have all been stuck in our homes for months! There isn’t a single outlet left for our families to enjoy.” Said a father, who along with his family was turned away at the gates.
The covid19 pandemic has already stifled public recreation; the hospitality industry has suffered irrevocable losses as a result. As the number of cases slowly diminish and peoples’ sensibilities prevail, a few venues had recently opened up again providing a much needed ray of light for eager families along with the personnel who work here as well.
A disheartened employee stated “I was so happy when [management] reached out to us again! No one knows how difficult it is to feed a family without a stable income! And now we get this news, what do we do?”
Pavilion End Club employs a workforce of 600 people as well as thousands of outsourced vendors. It is one of the only recreational club of its kind in District East of Karachi and boasts a membership number of over 16000 individuals. PEC has been operating seamlessly for more than ten years, fully licensed with a registered lease under the Sindh Act.
Supreme Court passed an order to demolish Aladin Shopping Mall, Amusement Park and Pavilion End Club in a case hearing which was not even related to A.A Joyland's amenities.
Furthermore, the Right of Hearing which is a basic right for any wrongfully accused was denied right away. We were silenced on all platforms.
A.A Joyland is responsible for providing hundreds and thousands of jobs to the locals. We have created an industry which never existed in Pakistan. Aladin Amusement Park provides cheap and quality entertainment to the public. Pavilion End Club offers extraordinary sports and health facilities for the public in nominal price and such facilities are only exclusive to the rich and privileged in the society.
Pavilion End Club offers physical and mental welfare to the public. Pavilion End Club charges Rs. 8000 per family of 6-7 persons, which any middle class family can afford. We have 16,000 families that enjoy these facilities.
On top of that, Pavilion End Club employs 600 people who have their livelihood based on it from managers to gardeners and security guard. Did this decision consider the livelihood of these poor people who would be severely affected by it?
The government wants to increase tourism and recreation in Pakistan. Is this the way to increase tourism and recreation? By destroying such quality recreation facilities in Pakistan? This will just drive away investors and stakeholders and will put Pakistan in a blacklist.
I appeal to the people of Pakistan who are worried about the future of our development and economy to please speak up to provide similar alternate place in Karachi for public recreational activities to bring them from mental stress & depression.
