Residents protest eviction after Kharadar building declared unsafe

‘This was a land grab in the guise of safety,’ alleges one displaced resident

KARACHI:

For the second day in a row, residents of a residential apartment building in the old city area of Kharadar remained stranded under the open sky after being forcibly evicted when the structure was declared unsafe by the Sindh Building Control Authority (SBCA).

The affected families have appealed to the Sindh governor and other senior officials, calling for an independent structural assessment of the building by a credible engineering firm. They allege the eviction was unjustified and driven by vested interests.

The eviction follows a tragic incident in Lyari's Baghdadi area where 27 people lost their lives after a derelict building collapsed. Following the tragedy, the Sindh government launched a city-wide crackdown against illegal and unsafe buildings in the metropolitan city.

As part of the drive, the SBCA sealed Hajra Manzil, a six-storey building in Kharadar, deeming it vulnerable. Residents were given only 24 hours to vacate the premises. According to the displaced families, no alternative accommodation was provided, and many of their belongings remain locked inside the sealed building.

The residents say that the building is structurally sound, with no visible cracks in the foundation, beams, or pillars. They allege that the eviction was orchestrated by a local builder who had earlier offered them Rs1.5 million per unit- far below the market value of Rs seven to eight million for vacating their apartments.

"This was not a case of public safety. This was a land grab in the guise of safety," said one resident, speaking on condition of anonymity. "Until we are allowed to return to our homes, we will continue to stage our protest here."

They further claim that the SBCA used heavy-handed tactics, including disconnecting electricity and gas connections, removing metres, and sealing the building's main gate. Notices declaring the structure unsafe were reportedly pasted both on Hajra Manzil and an adjacent, visibly dilapidated building -which has been uninhabited for years but has not been sealed.
The residents allege they were given just 12 hours to leave and that women and children were forcibly evicted. "We were thrown out without warning, and now we are on the street," said another affected resident.

The SBCA has yet to officially respond to the residents' claims or provide clarification regarding the inspection and criteria used to declare the building unsafe.