Sindh Senior Minister Sharjeel Inam Memon stated on Tuesday that the provincial government cannot realistically provide housing to all residents of hazardous buildings across Sindh. Citing limited resources and the sheer scale of the problem, Memon, speaking on Geo News’ morning program “Geo Pakistan,” revealed that 740 buildings in Sindh have been declared unsafe, with 51 classified as extremely dangerous. So far, only 11 of these extremely hazardous structures have been vacated.
Memon clarified that while it’s not feasible to house all occupants, the government could offer temporary accommodation to some families within its available resources, a practice previously adopted for flood victims and Covid-19 patients. He added that the Sindh Building Control Authority (SBCA) has commenced the demolition of uninhabitable structures surrounding the five-storey building that recently collapsed in Lyari’s Baghdadi neighborhood.
Inquiry Initiated into Lyari Tragedy
The Sindh government has formed a five-member inquiry committee to investigate the Lyari building collapse, which tragically claimed at least 27 lives. An official notification issued on Tuesday confirmed that Karachi Commissioner Hassan Naqvi has been appointed as the committee’s chairman. The Special Secretary of the Local Government Department and a Deputy Director of the SBCA are also members. The committee’s mandate includes determining the cause of the collapse, identifying those responsible, and recommending preventive measures. The report is expected to be submitted within 48 hours.
Governor Sindh Addresses Media
Sindh Governor Kamran Tessori, while speaking to the media on Tuesday, announced the dismissal of the Director General of the Sindh Building Control Authority (SBCA) following the Lyari building collapse. Tessori stressed that merely changing individuals would not fix the systemic issues and called for a comprehensive structural overhaul. He also highlighted the lack of development work in Scheme 42 Taiser Town over the past two decades.
The governor announced the allotment of 80-square-yard plots for the families of the deceased and urged the provincial government to provide six months’ rent and arrange for new homes in the same locality for the affected families. He further pledged that those rendered homeless would receive ration supplies. Tessori welcomed the chief minister’s decision to form an inquiry committee, viewing it as a positive step, and committed to addressing the matter in the assembly.
ABAD Criticizes Inquiry Committee’s Formation
The Association of Builders and Developers (ABAD) has rejected the formation of the inquiry committee, deeming it insufficient and lacking credibility. ABAD Chairman Hassan Bakshi questioned the impartiality of an investigation conducted by officials from the same institutions under scrutiny, suggesting that the chief minister should have personally led the committee. Bakshi also criticized the Rs1 million compensation for victims as inadequate, questioning why the Sindh government couldn’t offer housing subsidies similar to those provided by Punjab’s Maryam Nawaz.
Sindh Local Government Minister Saeed Ghani had stated on Monday that the committee investigating the Lyari collapse was also tasked with preparing a report on 51 other dangerously dilapidated buildings in Karachi. He confirmed that the government would begin demolishing these structures after a detailed survey. His comments followed the conclusion of a nearly three-day search and rescue operation at the Lyari collapse site.
