SBCA officers booked over Karachi building collapse

KARACHI: A case has been lodged against officers of the Sindh Building Control Authority (SBCA) following the collapse of a building in Karachi’s Lyari that killed 27 persons and injured four, ARY News reported.

The first information report (FIR) was registered on a complaint of an official of the Sindh Local Government, Housing, and Town Planning Department.

According the FIR, the building, constructed in 1986 by its owner as a ground-plus-five structure divided into two sections, had long been in a dilapidated and uninhabitable state.

The complainant maintained that one section of the building, comprising 20 flats, collapsed due to the criminal negligence of SBCA officers, resulting in the deaths of 27 individuals, including men, women, and children, and injuries to four others.

According to the FIR, the nominated SBCA officers were aware of the building’s poor condition since 2022 yet they did not take serious action. The FIR alleged that the officers demonstrated negligence and carelessness, leading to the tragic incident.

Earlier, a five-member inquiry committee was formed following the recent building collapse incident in Lyari, Karachi.

According to an official notification, the committee was made under the leadership of Karachi commissioner.

The inquiry committee had been tasked with identifying those responsible for the incident. It will also submit recommendations to prevent such accidents in the future.

The committee would outline a plan for evacuating residents from dangerous and unsafe buildings across Karachi.