Saeed Ghani Vows to Relocate Residents of Dangerous Buildings to Save Lives Amid Karachi Tragedy
Sidra Arif
Saeed Ghani Vows to Relocate Residents of Dangerous Buildings to Save Lives Amid Karachi Tragedy
Karachi
Sindh Local Government Minister Saeed Ghani has said that the government is prepared to displace occupants of Karachi's dialpadated buildings in order to save lives, and relocate them to alternative sites if necessary. Addressing an emergency press conference on Friday evening, Ghani revealed that 588 buildings in Karachi have been declared hazardous, with 456 located in District South — 107 of them in Lyari Quarters alone.
He said, “As a nation and as a society, we are collectively responsible for this latest tragedy.” A high-level inquiry committee has been formed under the Special Secretary Local Government to investigate the causes and determine responsibility for the incident. The committee is expected to submit its report within the next three working days. Meanwhile, the Director, Deputy Director, Building Inspectors, and other officials of the Sindh Building Control Authority (SBCA) in the affected district have been suspended.
Commissioner Karachi Hassan Naqvi, SBCA DG Ishaq Khuro, Deputy Commissioner South Javed Latif Khoso, and other officials were also present during the briefing.
Referring to the recent collapse of a building in the Baghdadi area of Lyari, Ghani disclosed that the structure had already been declared "extremely dangerous." The first evacuation notice was issued on 2 June 2023, followed by four more notices dated 28 February 2024, 30 May 2024, 25 June 2024, and the last one on 2 June 2025. Despite repeated attempts to evacuate the residents, Ghani said officials were met with resistance, including physical altercations.
The building had been surveyed as early as 10 October 2022 and deemed structurally unsafe. Ghani dismissed claims that the SBCA or the Sindh government had failed to issue warnings, calling such allegations "baseless." He said that of the 107 dangerous buildings in Lyari Quarters, 22 were deemed "extremely dangerous," and 14 of these had already been demolished. However, in eight cases, including the recently collapsed building, residents continued to resist eviction.
As of the latest reports, seven people have lost their lives in the incident, while nine others were injured. Rescue operations are ongoing amid fears more people may be trapped under the debris. Ghani said operations will continue round the clock, and equipment including generators and lights has been mobilised.
Highlighting the scale of the problem, Ghani said District South houses the majority of hazardous buildings as it constitutes the old city area where unauthorised constructions are rampant. He lamented that every time the government launches an evacuation operation, it faces political and media backlash. “But now, the government has resolved that we will evacuate people even if it renders them homeless. We will also provide them with alternative accommodation,” he added.
Ghani acknowledged the complexities in evictions due to legal issues in old city areas where most buildings are under the "pagri" system or subdivided into multiple ownership flats. Forced evictions often escalate into political controversies. He appealed to citizens via the media not to risk their lives and those of their children by continuing to reside in structurally compromised buildings.
He emphasised that the government is willing to work with residents, builders, owners, and the SBCA to find lasting solutions. While he criticised the role of some corrupt officials, he also pointed to the complicity of buyers and estate agents in illegal constructions. “Unfortunately, current laws don’t allow for criminal action against builders of illegal structures, but we are working on legislative amendments which will soon be presented in the assembly,” he stated.
Responding to another question, Ghani asserted that despite perceptions, the Sindh Local Government Department and SBCA have taken substantial action against illegal buildings in recent months. FIRs have been lodged, officers suspended or transferred, and authority to demolish illegal structures has now also been extended to Deputy Commissioners and Town administrations.
He was candid in acknowledging that the SBCA bears primary responsibility for demolishing unlawful constructions and said he would not defend any negligence on their part. However, he added that government resources are limited and providing alternate housing to millions living in such buildings is not feasible.
On utility disconnections for dangerous buildings, he said letters have been written to K-Electric, SSGC, and the Water Board, instructing them to disconnect supplies, but they have not complied. He said it is imperative that even legal buildings should not be provided utilities unless they have obtained completion NOCs.
In conclusion, Ghani repeated that the nation collectively shares responsibility for the tragedy. Despite multiple eviction notices and attempts by district administration and letters to utility providers, the lack of cooperation from residents and various agencies led to the unfortunate loss of life. The inquiry committee will determine the underlying causes and identify those responsible within three working days, while immediate suspensions of SBCA officers have already been enforced.
