The director and three officers of the Sindh Building Control Authority (SBCA) have been suspended following a tragic building collapse in Karachi’s Shah Faisal Colony, which claimed the lives of five individuals. The suspension came swiftly after the incident, in a bid to hold accountable those responsible for the tragedy.
The mishap occurred while laborers were working on the construction of a three-storey building on a 40-square-yard plot. They were in the process of laying reinforced cement concrete (RCC) roofs when the structure collapsed, according to local police reports.
The Association of Builders and Developers (Abad) has classified the building as “illegal” and urged the government to take action against any builders or contractors who played a role in its construction.
Responding promptly to the incident, Interim Chief Minister Justice Maqbool Baqar expressed profound displeasure and directed the suspension of SBCA Korangi Director Syed Muhammad Zia, Assistant Director Waseem Raja Thaheem, Senior Building Inspector Tanveer Khan, and Building Inspector Khurram Rizwan.
Emphasizing the importance of safeguarding lives, the chief minister vowed that such constructions would not be permitted under any circumstances due to the inherent risk they posed to people’s safety.
Furthermore, as part of the investigative process, the SBCA has established an inquiry committee on the chief minister’s orders. This committee will conduct a comprehensive investigation into the building collapse, evaluating the status of the building plan approval and the duration of construction on the plot.
The inquiry committee will also determine the involvement of any errant officers or officials from the SBCA, as well as any culpability on the part of the relevant authorities and agencies.
The chief minister has instructed the committee to submit its report within 48 hours, ensuring a swift and thorough investigation into the incident.