In the wake of the devastating Lyari building collapse that claimed 27 lives, Sindh’s Minister for Local Government Saeed Ghani announced on Monday that a government-formed committee will now survey 51 dangerous buildings in Karachi, submitting a detailed report within the next 24 hours.
Speaking at a press conference in Karachi alongside senior ministers Sharjeel Inam Memon and Ziaul Hasan Lanjar, Ghani said, “The same committee investigating the Lyari tragedy has been assigned to assess the condition of 51 other buildings marked as severely dilapidated.”
This move follows the collapse of a five-storey structure in Lyari that left at least 27 people dead, including women and children. Rescue operations continued for nearly three days before concluding on Sunday. Assistant Commissioner Shehryar Habib confirmed that 26 bodies were recovered from the rubble and one person died during treatment.
Read More: 60-hour rescue operation ends as Lyari building collapse kills 27
The Sindh government has now launched an aggressive campaign against dangerous buildings in Karachi, beginning with demolition plans immediately after surveys are complete. Ghani added that the Karachi commissioner has also been directed to compile fresh data on another 588 at-risk structures across the city.
“We regularly issue notices to residents of unsafe buildings,” Ghani said, “but unfortunately, enforcement is where the system fails. We’re now exploring legal action against those behind unauthorized constructions.”
As part of the relief efforts, the government announced a compensation of Rs1 million for each victim’s family.
Meanwhile, Sindh Senior Minister Sharjeel Inam Memon revealed that Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah chaired an emergency meeting today and decided to suspend the Director General of the Sindh Building Control Authority (SBCA) over the Lyari incident. He also shared that 740 unsafe buildings across Sindh have been identified and will be addressed accordingly.
Also Read: 578 more unsafe buildings: Karachi’s next disaster waiting?
Home Minister Zia Lanjar added that First Information Reports (FIRs) would be lodged against officials found guilty of negligence. “Criminal negligence will not be tolerated under any circumstances,” he said.
The high-level committee originally tasked with submitting its findings on Monday has been granted a two-day extension to finalize its report. SBCA officials claim the collapsed Lyari building was over 30 years old and had been served multiple evacuation notices — the most recent one issued on June 25, 2025. Despite this, the structure was neither vacated nor had its utility services disconnected.
Sindh CM Murad Ali Shah, speaking separately to the media, urged citizens to verify a building’s legal status before purchasing property. “The building evacuated last night in Agra Taj had no approval from the SBCA. We’re also reviewing relocation options for residents of over 400 unsafe buildings across Sindh’s Old City Area,” he noted.
