The criminal negligence and inefficiency of the Sindh Building Control Authority (SBCA), which has once again resulted in the death of 27 innocent people in Lyari due to the collapse of an illegal and unsafe building, is astounding. This heartbreaking tragedy was not a natural disaster, it was a man-made catastrophe — a result of corrupt practices, incompetence, and systemic failure within SBCA. The incident lays bare the truth that SBCA officials, those who are duty-bound to regulate and ensure safe urban development, have instead become facilitators of lawlessness and greed.
Of particular concern is the situation in Orangi Town. Under the SBCA’s protection, builders are routinely allowed to construct high-rise buildings without the mandatory approval of building plans. All that is required is a bribe, no safety checks, no structural oversight, no regard for zoning regulations. Amenity plots, which were originally reserved for public parks, schools and healthcare facilities, have been illegally encroached and turned into profitable commercial and residential complexes under his supervision. These unchecked activities have not only endangered the lives of thousands of residents but have also resulted in hundreds of millions of rupees in losses to the national exchequer through lost revenue, tax evasion, and unregulated development.
If urgent action is not taken by Competent Authority, Orangi Town will be the next Lyari. Another collapse is waiting to happen. The lives of innocent citizens hang in the balance while corrupt officials continue their illegal dealings with impunity. I request the Sindh Government, NAB, Anti-Corruption Establishment and the Supreme Court to take immediate notice of this situation. An independent judicial inquiry should be conducted into the Lyari incident and encroached amenity plots must be reclaimed.
Waqar Kamal Bakht
Karachi
