Karachi: Director General of the Sindh Building Control Authority (SBCA), Ishaq Khoso, has revealed that the residential building that collapsed in Lyari was more than 50 years old and in a dangerously deteriorated state.
Speaking to the media at the site of the tragedy, Khoso confirmed that SBCA’s Technical Committee and Demolition Team have arrived at the scene to conduct a detailed investigation. “This building dates back to before 1979,” he said. “We are currently verifying whether it was listed among the 526 identified hazardous buildings in Karachi.”
According to Khoso, the SBCA regularly publishes public notices in newspapers warning residents of buildings that have been declared unsafe. “The building was visibly deteriorating. A report is being compiled to understand what exactly caused it to collapse,” he added.
He further stated that a full survey is underway of the collapsed structure and the surrounding area. Alarmingly, there are around 50 other buildings in Lyari that are also in a similar dilapidated condition and pose a serious threat to public safety.
“We’ve already conducted surveys in Karachi and Hyderabad. Many of Lyari’s unsafe buildings have been vacated as a precaution,” Khoso noted.
The SBCA chief emphasized that a technical committee will determine the exact reasons for the collapse and whether the building had been flagged previously for demolition or repair.
