By Ahsan Mughal
KARACHI: Sindh’s Minister for Local Government, Saeed Ghani, has acknowledged that 740 buildings across the province have been officially declared dangerous, with a staggering 588 of them located in Karachi alone. Ghani directly addressed public concern in the wake of the recent Lyari building collapse.
Saeed Ghani admitted that the Lyari incident was a clear case of negligence, stating, “There is no denying this was negligence.” He confirmed that despite past efforts to curb illegal constructions, they have continued to proliferate, often with impunity. The Director General of the Sindh Building Control Authority (SBCA) has been removed from his post, while on the day of the incident, SBCA’s Director, DD, AD, and building inspectors assigned to the area were suspended.
According to the minister, the most critical situation exists in Karachi’s District South, where 456 of the city’s 588 dangerous buildings are located. These structures, some already partially damaged or visibly unstable, should have been vacated under SBCA’s mandate—a responsibility that, Ghani noted, was not fulfilled.
In response to the Lyari collapse, a formal inquiry committee has been formed. The committee, led by Karachi’s Commissioner and operating under the direction of the Chief Minister, has been given 48 hours to submit its findings. The report is expected to identify those responsible and suggest reforms to prevent such tragedies in the future. Ghani confirmed that criminal cases will be registered against those found guilty of gross negligence.
