The City Government Laws Translated by Rizwan Shehzad During former city nazim Niamatullah Khans tenure, Karachi

got its first laws on billboards called the Advertisement, Signage By-laws 2003, which were voted through by the city council. Amendments were made in 2006 when Mustafa Kamal was city nazim. The problem is that the laws are only used by the city government and not the cantonments which follow The Cantonment Act, 1924 and a policy they set on their own. A scanned copy of the 2012 policy is available for download here. The city government laws are not online and they are only available in printed form in Urdu from the city government office if you know where to go looking. In the interest of making them accessible to the public The Express Tribune is providing a downloadable scanned copy of the by-laws in Urdu and a translation of some of the key rules in English here. Every effort has been made to be accurate. Highlights from the Advertisement, Signage By-laws of 2003 with amendments in 2006 "Advertisement" means any visible representation of a word, name, letter, object, or of an abbreviation of a word or name or of any sign or symbol, including light unless it is intended for illumination or as a warning against any danger and the same meanings will be derived for the land used for such purpose. Moreover, any product, service, business or commercial enterprise, election or candidature in an election or entertainment, function, sports, exhibition or propaganda for the purpose of drawing attention and promotion through one or many means will fall under the definition of an advertisement.

Section 2 2-3 Any person, persons or organization aiming to put up advertisement board or structure or planning to replace or aiming an amendment or addition in a previous advertisement board or structure shall give an application along with information and technical maps under the sub-rules 2-3-1, 2-3-2, 2-3-3 and 2-3-4 on a designated form to a competent officer. 2-3-1 A site plan showing the place where the advertisement or billboard will be constructed, installed or recommended to be displayed will be submitted, whose scale should not be less than 1:200 and the location of the building should clearly be visible. Moreover, all the buildings located at the site of advertisement should be shown and the direction of the advertisement or billboard should significantly be highlighted. 2-3-4 Content of every ad, advertisement or billboard will be approved as per the consent of the licensing authority. 2-5-1 Before erecting any advertisement or billboard, it is mandatory for the advertiser to submit a third party insurance and its certificate to the licensing authority within 30 days.

2-6 The licensing authority can ask for compensation from the owner of a signboard or the owner of the building where it has been constructed or installed or both or the person whose products or services have been displayed in case of any loss arising out of its presence or construction. Fee and liabilities Section 4-1 (c) Any advertisement or billboard or structure erected on the land of any department or building without the consent of the city district government will be considered illegal, excluding the ones mandatory for the department by law. Types of advertisement and rules Section 7-1 Signboards affixed to buildings and painted advertisements 7-1-1 Any signboard or painted advertisement whether of any material approved under these rules has been used in the advertisement hanging or affixed directly or indirectly on any building or wall should not exceed a thickness more than 12 inches. 7-1-2 If any such advertisement is displayed at a wall under which there is a footpath or pedestrian way than it should have a height of at least eight feet from the ground level. 7-1-3 and 7-2-1 Any such advertisement should not extend above the top or beyond either side of the wall or building to which it is affixed. 7-4 Billboards Billboards will be installed or constructed according to the following standard size, height and restrictions: Depth Width Height 15 feet 45 feet 31 feet 10 feet 20 feet 21 feet 8 feet 12 feet 12 feet 7-4-1 All signboards should be affixed at a degree of 30 to 45 in a way that their top is on the side of traffic flow (at a right angle) to the road lines and they should not exceed the boundaries/edges of the footpath. 7-4-2 Advertiser(s) will attach a plate of size 3x1.5ft at the bottom left of the original signboard showing the following mandatory details: a) Advertiser's name, address along with firm or company whose ad has been displayed. b) Telephone number, fax number and email (whatever is available). c) License number with date, month and year.

d) The code number that the licensing authority has entered in the license and any other message that the licensing authority wishes to incorporate in it.

7-4-4 No billboard should be installed or constructed within 150 feet of a bridge or before and acclivity or declivity meaning no billboard should be installed or constructed within 150 feet on both sides. 7-4-5 (b) All the billboards installed on one side of the roads will have a distance of at least 200 feet and all such boards at a road will be installed or constructed in the same alignment at a same height and a particular colour will be specified for a different size. 7-4-6 Billboards can be installed or constructed under the following conditions: (A) All the three ways and roundabouts where traffic is controlled by a traffic light. 1. Red, green and yellow colours cannot be used as a main (special) colour in such advertisements. 2. Advertisement should not obscure, obstruct or otherwise interfere with any road traffic sign. 3. No more than four billboards can be installed at the corners around the three ways and roundabouts and the distance among them should not be less than 10 feet. (B) It is permitted to illuminate the billboard but the light should be permanent. Flashing lights are prohibited for all kinds of billboards.

7-5 Pylon signs All the safety measures regarding roads and traffic will be taken while installing pylon signs. Moreover, pylon signs will be constructed or installed under the following conditions: 7-5-1 The installation will be under the following measurements: a) Maximum 20 feet unilateral ground measurement. b) Height will not exceed 50 feet from ground level. c) Breadth will not be more than two feet. 7-5-2 A pylon will be installed at a 90-degree angle and it cannot be tilted at any side. 7-5-4 It is mandatory to fill the empty area, if any, surrounding the pylon sign, with grass and plants and the size of such greenery shall not be less than 2,700 square feet. In case there is less area, the condition will be applicable to whatever area is available. 7-6 Super billboards 7-6-1 Their size will be 20x60 feet. 7-6-2 Their minimum height will be 40 feet and maximum 50 feet.

7-6-3 Super billboards will be allotted to the person giving the highest bid in the auction. The upset price of first zone will start with an increase of Rs200 from the already allotted rate in the table of the area and no permit will be issued for any billboard within 400 feet of the sites mentioned in the auction list. 7-6-4 The final approval of the auction will be subjected to the approval of the city district mayor. 7-7 Billboards for shops and offices 7-7-1 Depth of billboard will not exceed six feet and it will have a minimum height of seven feet from ground level. 7-7-2 Any billboard or advertisement should not be installed beyond the width of the shop. 7-8 Ads installed on roofs 7-8-4 The measurement of the advertisement installed on the roofs will be the following: Structure or type of building Ground floor and first floor Second floor and third floor Fourth floor and above 7-9 Street pole advertisements 7-9-1 No ad made with other than using Plexiglas or Perspex substance will be installed and the minimum height of the advertisement from the road will be 12 feet. 7-9-2 The length and width of these advertisements will be 6x4 or 8x3 feet. They will be illuminated and the flow of light will be uniform. Measurement 45x15 feet 60x20 feet 90x30 feet