KARACHI – The disastrous building collapse in Karachi prompted new wave of action by provincial authorities and now Ishaq Khowro has been removed as Director General of Sindh Building Control Authority (SBCA).
These incidents intensified scrutiny on both SBCA and other regulatory departments responsible for urban planning and heritage preservation. Civil society groups and residents have called for sweeping reforms to end the builder mafia’s influence and to restore public trust in regulatory bodies.
At least 27 people so far lost their lives in the tragedy, which caused public outrage over SBCA’s failure to enforce building codes and ensure structural safety across port city. The collapse of multi-storey building sheds serious lapses in regulation and oversight by the city’s construction authority.
After the incident, SBCA inspection team visited collapse site. Inspector Zulfiqar Shah was unable to provide clear answers when pressed by journalists about other potentially hazardous structures in area. The nearby building was marked for demolition but admitted he was unaware of how many buildings had been torn down over the past year.
Another crisis was narrowly averted in Karachi’s historic Kharadar area where residents reported tremors in protected heritage building near a coal depot. According to eyewitnesses, a group allegedly associated with the builder mafia attempted to illegally demolish the sealed structure using heavy machinery.
Sindh Department of Archaeology and local police responded promptly after receiving complaints from masses. Assistant Director Faisal Ali led team that reached the scene and halted the operation. Two suspects, identified as Khan Gul and Luqman, were arrested on-site with police assistance.
