Lyari Buildings Declared Unsafe Vacated

The Sindh government has facilitated the evacuation of nine buildings in Lyari that were deemed structurally unsound, according to a statement made on Thursday by senior provincial minister Shajeel Memon.

This action follows the collapse of a multi-story residential building in Lyari last week, a densely populated area inhabited by numerous working-class and low-income families residing in older apartment complexes.

Memon stated that authorities have commenced the demolition of one of the unsafe buildings. He also added that affected families would receive three months’ worth of rental assistance.

The minister mentioned that the newly appointed Director General of the Sindh Building Control Authority (SBCA) has instructed all officers to declare their asset details within a fortnight.

He further announced that severe measures would be implemented against officials found complicit in authorizing unlawful building constructions.

According to the Lyari Town information department, a committee has been formed to evaluate the condition of deteriorating structures in Lyari, prompted by safety concerns and recent structural incidents.

South Deputy Commissioner Javed Nabi Khoso has issued a formal notification regarding the committee’s formation. Municipal Commissioner Lyari Hammad N D Khan and Assistant Commissioner Lyari Shehryar Habib have been designated as the committee’s convenors.

The committee’s mandate includes conducting a thorough assessment of damaged or potentially hazardous buildings and creating a register of impacted residents.

The committee also comprises DSP City, Mukhtiarkar Lyari, and the respective Union Council chairman.

In related developments following the building collapse, six SBCA officers in Karachi have been arrested, and a case has been filed concerning the incident that resulted in 27 fatalities.

Authorities have apprehended six SBCA officers for interrogation. Those arrested include four senior directors, one deputy director, and one assistant director.

Additionally, Karachi police have registered a case concerning the Lyari building collapse, which names top SBCA officers.

The First Information Report (FIR) was lodged at the Baghdadi Police Station based on a complaint from a section officer representing the Sindh Local Government and Housing Town Planning Departments.

The FIR indicates that the building, comprising 20 flats, had been in a dilapidated state for an extended period and was unsuitable for habitation.

SBCA officers and staff were reportedly aware of the building’s deteriorating condition as early as 2022 but allegedly failed to take appropriate action.

The case names six directors, two deputy directors, and three building inspectors who served in the SBCA between 2022 and 2025.

The FIR alleges that the officers exhibited negligence and failed to document the building’s condition in official records.

The current owners of the collapsed building are also among those named in the FIR.

DIG South Asad Raza noted that the owners had leased flats in the building despite its compromised structural integrity.

The case involves accusations of negligence, manslaughter, and abuse of official power. DIG Raza confirmed that all defendants, except for one director, are in custody, and an inquiry is currently underway.