Case filed over apartment collapse tragedy also includes charges of endangering human lives. PHOTO: EXPRESS
As many as 22 people were killed when the five-storey apartment building in Lyari's Khadda Market caved in on Sunday evening, while at least six others were injured.
The rescue operation, which went on for three days, was wrapped up on Wednesday night after the debris was cleared from the site.
According to the FIR, the Shireen Bai Apartments, with 45 flats, had been declared dangerous by the Sindh Building Control Authority (SBCA), but the building owner, namely Munir, and other individuals ignored the warning and displayed negligence in vacating the structure.
Death toll reaches 22 in Lyari building collapse
The FIR claims that the accused put numerous lives at risk through their behaviour, leading to several casualties and the loss of property.
The building had reportedly been declared dangerous by the SBCA's technical team after an inspection survey on March 16. The SBCA had also issued a notice to the residents on March 18, directing them to vacate the building within 15 days.
According to sources, the SBCA had also issued letters to the relevant agencies to cut off the utility connections when it wasn't vacated, but in vain.
According to the Sindh Rangers, the rubble had been removed from the location, while all items found in the wreckage were handed to the civil administration on the spot. The items recovered from the site included cash, mobile phones, electronics, gold and other valuables, stated a Rangers spokesperson on Friday, adding that this included over Rs1.6 million in cash as well as valuables worth over Rs0.2 million.
Cracking down
On Thursday, Sindh Information and Housing and Town Planning Minister Syed Nasir Hussain Shah had stated that the provincial government would intensify its demolition operations against illegal structures on encroached lands.
Saying that the government would not let anyone change the map of Karachi, he added that the SBCA had been directed to take strict action against illegal constructions.
"Incidents of buildings collapsing in the city have become more frequent, which cannot be tolerated," he insisted. "There are some buildings which were constructed even before Partition and they are in dilapidated condition."
He claimed that the SBCA had issued evacuation notices to the occupants of these weakened structures, but they were not willing to leave their houses.
The establishment of separate courts for the SBCA would help eliminate the illegal constructions, he suggested, adding that the Sindh government was also taking action against the officers involved in facilitating the construction of such buildings.
Grieving the loss of lives, Shah said that the Sindh government was striving to prevent any such incidents in the future. However, he asked people to cooperate and vacate the buildings when the authorities declared them unfit for habitation.
Demolition continues
Meanwhile, the SBCA's demolition squad continued to take action against illegal structures, razing and sealing several buildings in the city on Friday.
The demolished and sealed structures include additional floors of multi-storey buildings, columns and beams, partition walls, extended fronts and quarters in Firdous Colony, Nazimabad, North Nazimabad, Paposh Nagar, North Karachi, New Karachi Town and Gulberg Town.
The operations were carried out under the supervision of the relevant deputy commissioners, SBCA assistant directors and demolition officers, while the SBCA police force was present to avoid any untoward incidents.
The occupants of many buildings declared dangerous by the SBCA were also warned to vacate their residences in order to avoid loss of life and property.
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