KARACHI: Sindh Local Government Minister Saeed Ghani has directed officials to conduct a fresh and detailed survey of all buildings declared dangerous across the province. The decision comes after complaints from residents who claim that some buildings were wrongly marked as hazardous.
Ghani gave the instructions while chairing the first meeting of a provincial-level committee set up to review unsafe and crumbling buildings in Sindh.
He said that similar survey committees already exist under the supervision of deputy commissioners and must now include one representative each from the Association of Builders and Developers (ABAD), Pakistan Engineering Council, and Pakistan Council of Architects and Town Planners.
The meeting reviewed data on 588 vulnerable buildings and 59 classified as extremely dangerous in Karachi and other cities.
According to the city commissioner, 29 of the 59 most dangerous buildings have already been evacuated, and data of the affected residents has been recorded. Evacuation of the remaining buildings is still in progress.
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Ghani directed authorities to speed up the survey process and submit a complete report in the committee’s next meeting within a week. He acknowledged that some residents had raised valid concerns about incorrect classification of buildings and said such issues must be reviewed carefully.
To support the affected families, the minister announced that the government will pay three months’ rent for residents of the collapsed building in Baghdadi, Lyari, and those evacuated from the 29 buildings.
The committee will also recommend relief measures for tenants, pagri holders, and owners, which may include compensation or alternative housing support.
Ghani assured that the matter is being handled with seriousness and transparency. The committee includes technical experts, engineers, architects, urban planners, and ABAD members, who will provide factual and practical recommendations.
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He said the government will prepare short- and long-term plans for rehabilitation based on expert input. The committee will decide how to resettle affected tenants, pagri-holders, and owners, and will also report on buildings that can be made livable again with minor repairs.
Ghani further ordered district committees to send daily updates to the commissioner, who will compile a final report for review in future meetings.
Committee members agreed that no one will be treated unfairly, and every effort will be made to support affected residents.
Structurally stable buildings will be restored for residential use, while those found too dangerous to repair will undergo phased evacuation. New policies for such cases will be developed in consultation with engineers, ABAD, and other stakeholders to ensure safe and fair resettlement.
