SBCA allegedly violated rules to allow heritage building demolition

A historic building located in Clifton's Bath Island area was illegally demolished during the Eid-ul-Fitr holidays, despite being officially listed as a heritage structure. Sindh Chief Secretary Asif Haider Shah has taken notice of the incident and ordered an inquiry into the matter.

The building in question, known as Kharis House, was situated at Plot No. 4 FT-4/1, Bath Island Clifton. According to the Sindh Antiquities Department, the structure had been declared a protected heritage site. However, the Sindh Building Control Authority (SBCA) granted demolition approval in October last year - a move that the Antiquities Department claims was unauthorized.

Director General of the Sindh Antiquities Department, Abdul Fattah Sheikh, told The Express Tribune that the demolition began on March 28 and was nearly 90 percent completed by the following day. He added that the demolition was deliberately delayed for months after approval, and the final act was carried out strategically during the public holidays to avoid scrutiny.

According to Sheikh, the SBCA's decision to permit the demolition violated established legal procedures. "Under the law, demolishing a heritage building requires consultation with and recommendation from the Technical and Advisory Committees, in addition to explicit permission from the Antiquities Department. None of these steps were followed in this case," he said.

The Antiquities Department has formally written to SBCA Director General Ishaq Khuhro, demanding an internal inquiry into the unauthorized demolition. "This is a serious breach of preservation laws and an alarming act against Karachi's cultural heritage," Sheikh noted.

In response to the incident, Sindh's Chief Secretary has directed the Karachi Commissioner to launch a thorough investigation. The aim is to determine who was responsible for allowing the demolition to proceed without mandatory heritage approvals.

Efforts to obtain a comment from SBCA DG Ishaq Khuhro were unsuccessful, as he did not respond to repeated calls and messages from The Express Tribune.

Chief Secretary Asif Haider Shah expressed grave concern over the incident and emphasized that the protection of cultural and historical heritage is of utmost importance. He warned that any negligence or unlawful actions concerning heritage properties will not be tolerated and will be met with appropriate legal consequences.

Furthermore, the Chief Secretary instructed the Secretary Culture to initiate the mapping of all heritage buildings in Karachi and to upgrade the vigilance mechanisms to prevent any future violations or unauthorized demolitions.

The demolition of Kharis House has sparked fresh concerns about the lack of enforcement of heritage protection laws in Karachi, where historic buildings are increasingly vulnerable to commercial development pressures.

The Antiquities Department is now calling for stricter oversight to prevent further erosion of the city's architectural legacy.