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The authorities in Karachi have reviewed the progress on demolishing 68 highly dilapidated buildings following a deadly collapse in Lyari earlier this month.
In a meeting chaired by Commissioner Karachi Syed Hassan Naqvi, told that 44 buildings have already been vacated in Karachi’s South and East districts to prevent further tragedies in areas most at risk of structural failure.
Deputy Commissioner South Javed Nabi Khoso said that 41 buildings have been evacuated in his district, including 10 historical buildings, all identified by the Sindh Buildings Control Authority (SBCA).
He added that 59 buildings in District South had been declared highly dangerous by SBCA, and evacuation efforts are being carried out jointly with their technical teams.
Deputy Commissioner East Abrar Jafar reported that 9 buildings were labeled dangerous in District East. Of these, 3 have been vacated, with demolition started at one site in Gulistan-e-Jauhar.
Additionally, demolition is underway on the fifth floor of a building in PIB Colony. Only the top floor of that structure was marked unsafe, and the rest remains under assessment.
Citywide, the SBCA has classified 588 buildings as dilapidated. Out of these, 68 buildings are considered highly dangerous and will be prioritized for evacuation and demolition in the first phase.
The meeting decided that demolition must be approved by either Commissioner Karachi or the SBCA Director General. This ensures that every case is thoroughly reviewed before action is taken.
For historical buildings, consultation with the Advisory and Technical Committee will be required to balance safety with heritage preservation in older parts of the city.
Commissioner Naqvi appointed four officers, assigning extra responsibility to DC South, to lead survey operations collecting data such as ownership, structure details, CNICs, and account numbers.
The survey will guide safe demolition by listing builder names, total flats, shops, and overall status. Work is already underway to complete documentation for all 68 critical buildings.
