Karachi, July 7, 2025: Sindh Minister for Local Government Saeed Ghani on Monday announced that the committee investigating the recent tragic building collapse in Lyari has now been directed to inspect 51 other dangerously dilapidated buildings across Karachi and submit a report within 24 hours.
Addressing a press conference in Karachi alongside Senior Minister Sharjeel Inam Memon and Home Minister Ziaul Hasan Lanjar, Ghani said the provincial government would initiate demolition of these structures after the committee’s technical assessment.
The move comes in the wake of the catastrophic collapse of a five-storey residential building in Lyari, which claimed at least 27 lives. The rescue operation, which lasted nearly three days, concluded on Sunday evening.
“Twenty-six bodies — including nine women, fifteen men, a ten-year-old boy, and a one-and-a-half-year-old girl — were pulled from the debris,” said Assistant Commissioner Shehryar Habib. “One more individual succumbed to injuries during treatment,” he added.
In addition to the 51 buildings under immediate review, Ghani revealed that Karachi Commissioner has been tasked with collecting updated data on 588 more structures categorized as unsafe throughout the city.
When questioned about whether warnings had been issued to residents of the ill-fated Lyari building, Ghani acknowledged that while evacuation notices are routinely issued, enforcement remains weak. “We are now exploring legal options to hold those responsible for illegal constructions accountable,” he said.
Ghani also announced Rs1 million compensation for the families of each victim.
Speaking at the same briefing, Sindh Senior Minister Sharjeel Inam Memon said Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah chaired an emergency meeting earlier in the day and ordered the suspension of the Director General of the Sindh Building Control Authority (SBCA).
Memon added that a fact-finding committee, which includes the Karachi commissioner and senior government officials, has been granted a two-day extension to complete its investigation.
He further disclosed that across Sindh, 740 buildings have been officially classified as dangerous.
Meanwhile, Sindh Home Minister Ziaul Hasan Lanjar said that FIRs will be lodged against all officials found guilty of negligence in the Lyari incident. “Criminal negligence will not be tolerated,” he stressed.
According to the Sindh Building Control Authority, the Lyari building was over 30 years old and had been previously declared unsafe. The SBCA claimed it issued an evacuation notice two years ago, with a final reminder sent as recently as June 25, 2025. It also said it had formally requested K-Electric and the Karachi Water and Sewerage Board to disconnect utilities to the building — but neither action was taken, and the residents were not evacuated.
Separately, Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah, speaking to reporters on Sunday, urged citizens to verify proper approvals before purchasing property in multi-storey buildings.
He said the government is now reviewing the status of over 400 dangerous buildings in the Old City Area and considering relocation options for affected residents.
The chief minister also disclosed that a building in Agra Taj Colony, recently evacuated, had been constructed without any SBCA approval. “We will thoroughly review the committee’s report in tomorrow’s meeting,” he added.
