‘Those involved in illegal construction won’t be shown leniency’

422 buildings declared unsafe by SBCA in city, vigilance committees set up to identify more

KARACHI: The Sindh government will not allow anyone to play with the lives of its citizens, therefore strict action will be taken against those involved in illegal construction and corrupt officials, stated Sindh Local Government Minister Syed Nasir Hussain Shah while addressing a meeting at Karachi commissioner's office on Tuesday.

Lamenting the Lyari building collapse, Shah maintained that illegal constructions must be stopped immediately. He directed Sindh Building Control Authority (SBCA) director general Dr Naseemul Ghani Sahito to take strict actions against officials responsible for approving the construction of illegal structures, adding that no leniency should be shown in this regard.

Shah further stated the SBCA, district administrations and Sindh Police must begin a joint operation against builders involved in illegal constructions and register FIRs against them. He ordered SBCA officials to update the list of illegal buildings in the city and take action against encroachers.

The minister added that a vigilance committee, consisting of SBCA, Sindh Police and Karachi Development Authority officials and headed by the relevant district commissioner, must also be set up in each district of the city to identify dangerous and illegal buildings.

He further said that the Sindh Provincial Disaster Management Authority would be empowered so that they were better equipped to carry out relief efforts in the event of an untoward situation.

Karachi commissioner Iftikhar Shallwani informed Shah that the SBCA had issued evacuation notices to the residents of dangerous buildings, adding that most dangerous buildings were located in old city areas.

Later, speaking to the media, Shah revealed that as many as 422 buildings have been declared dangerous in the metropolis, of which 55 belong to the Sindh Heritage Department. He stated that steps to take legal action against illegal buildings were being carried out, including the establishment of a SBCA court. 

Published in The Express Tribune, June 10^th, 2020.