Police arrest top officials in SBCA building raid

KARACHI: Police officials in a raid at the Sindh Building Control Authority (SBCA) office and detained scores of top building control officials after recent collapse of a residential building in Karachi’s Lyari last Friday.

During relief operations 27 bodies recovered from the building debris.

The building officials were arrested during a meeting at the SBCA’s conference room in presence of the Director General building control authority, SBCA sources said.

According to sources, those detained in the police raid included Additional D.G. Irfan Naqvi, Director Ashfaq Khokhar, Director-Structure Faheem Murtaza, deputy directors Asim Khan and Faheem Siddiqui, Inspector Zulfiqar Shah and former director Asif Rizvi who was invited to the meeting.

Moreover, Director Industries Jalees Siddiqui and Assistant Director Zafar were also detained by the police.

The meeting was summoned for deliberating over the illegally constructed portions during year 2021 to 2025.

SBCA sources said that the officials related to Lyari Division and South Zone have been arrested by police. These officials were posted in Lyari Town and have been detained over illegal constructions.

“A case has been registered against officers and builders at Baghdadi police station”, SBCA shared.