Saeed Ghani Accepts Responsibility After Building Collapse in Lyari

Karachi:Sindh Local Government Minister Saeed Ghani has accepted responsibility for the recent building collapse in Lyari that claimed 27 lives and left four injured.

Speaking during a session of the Sindh Assembly, independent MPA Sajad Ali Soomro raised concerns over the incident through a call-attention notice. He criticized the Sindh Building Control Authority (SBCA), alleging that appointments within the department were being made arbitrarily, stating, “One Khowro was removed and replaced with Bhutto.”

He further said that while buildings in Lyari are being evacuated due to safety concerns, no alternative arrangements are being provided for the residents.

Responding to these concerns, Minister Ghani stated that the provincial government had not only replaced the Director General but had also had 11 officers arrested. He revealed that the collapsed building in Lyari was constructed in 1980 and had no official records in the SBCA archives.

Accepting his role as minister, Ghani acknowledged the criticism directed at the Sindh government, calling it “justified.” He emphasized the need to evacuate residents from all dangerous buildings, stating, “Recovering dead bodies is far more painful than relocating people.”

He further noted that the government is legally fulfilling its obligations when providing compensation to victims. Ghani confirmed that 61 buildings are currently being evacuated in Lyari, while 59 have already been completely vacated.

To support displaced families, the minister announced that the government is prepared to offer Rs. 30,000 per month in rent assistance. He highlighted the scale of the crisis, stating that the issue affects more than just 345 families in Karachi, as a list of 740 dangerous buildings has emerged across Sindh—and the number may grow.

It is worth noting that on July 4, a five-story building in Lyari collapsed, resulting in 27 fatalities and multiple injuries. In a separate incident days earlier, the sixth floor of another Lyari building collapsed onto the fifth floor, killing three sisters and injuring three others.