KARACHI: In a significant development following the tragic collapse of a five-storey building in Lyari, Karachi, on July 4, police have arrested nine senior officers of the Sindh Building Control Authority (SBCA) for questioning. The collapse, which claimed 27 lives and left 11 others injured, has led to outrage and a high-level investigation.
Among those arrested are key figures from the SBCA, including Additional Director General Irfan Naqvi, Zargham Shah, retired Director Asif Rizvi, Chalis Siddiqui, Ashfaq Khokhar, Deputy Director Faheem Siddiqui, Assistant Director Zulfiqar Shah, and Faheem Murtaza. A retired director, Asif Rizvi, is also among those detained.
The arrests follow the registration of a formal FIR, which also names the building’s owners. The authorities are investigating the officials for their alleged involvement in illegal constructions in the area and their failure to enforce structural regulations.
The building, located on Fida Hussain Shaikha Road in the Baghdadi area, had been flagged for structural issues, yet no preventive action was taken.
In response to the crisis, the Sindh Governor’s House has initiated relief efforts, including daily meal provisions for the affected families of Lyari’s dilapidated buildings. The investigation continues, with authorities determined to arrest all individuals named in the FIR.
