There is no doubt that the collapse of a building in Shershah, Karachi, was a great shock. No less than 17 people were killed in the blast-cum-collapse, customers, guards and other guards of the building, which housed a bank branch. That the blast was not terrorism is positive, but searching questions need to be asked about why any building should built over a sewage line. Also, what was being done about the inspection of a building 60 years old? Apart from terrorism, it seems that the blast was not caused by any leakage from a Sui Southern pipeline, and there is the possibility of a spontaneous explosion of methane gas produced in the sewage line, though there has been no statement on this from any Karachi Water and Sewerage Board spokesperson about this.
It is not as if this is a sudden incident, the first of its kind. There were two building collapses last year, in March and October, with a total of 28 people killed. Someone, somewhere, needs to realize that Karachi is beginning to age, and while old-time builders did a better job than today, buildings’ structural integrity can no longer be taken for granted. Too many buildings are past their expiry date, and need inspection. In some cases, it may be possible to make necessary alterations while the building is still occupied, while in others, there may be no alternative to evacuation, demolition and reconstruction.
A major obstacle in this process is that municipal functions have been a political football. The Karachi Metropolitan Corporation has not been allowed to function through its elected representatives, because the city opposes the PPP, which otherwise dominates the province. For example, the KSWB is headed by the PPP’s Local Government Minister Nasir Hussain Shah, who belongs to Sukkur district. Meanwhile, it needs to be examined why the original permission was given, and if the sewage was laid later, why the building was not obliged to secure itself. This may involve digging up some pretty ancient skeletons, but that may be necessary to save lives today. The Sindh government must overcome its desire to exploit Karachi, and allow the people of the city to select the elected representatives who can stop any more bloodletting.
