Leiyari Building Collapse: Court Grants 3-Day Physical Remand of Accused to Police

Karachi: A judicial magistrate in South Karachi has granted a three-day physical remand to five directors, two deputy directors, an inspector from the Sindh Building Control Authority (SBCA), and the owner of the collapsed building in the Leiyari Baghdadi incident, in which 27 people lost their lives.
The incident occurred when the building in Leiyari collapsed, resulting in a tragic loss of life. The accused SBCA officials were presented before the court of Judicial Magistrate Kalsoom Sahto, where the police sought the remand for further investigation.
During the hearing, the investigating officer was asked by the court how many cases were filed. The officer confirmed that only one case had been registered following the building’s collapse. The police then requested a physical remand to conduct further questioning.
Investigation officer Zahid Hussain told the court that the accused possessed all relevant documentation, and it was crucial to obtain these records from them. He argued that the negligence of the accused led to the deaths of 27 individuals and injuries to four others.
The court then summoned the building owner. Defense lawyer Zeeshan Rajper claimed that the owner, Rahim Bakhsh, was also a victim, as five of his own relatives, including his son and son-in-law, perished in the accident.
Advocate Shahab Serki, representing the case, stated that the building, constructed in 1986, had all its records in the SBCA’s possession. He questioned who had granted the approval for the building’s construction and why it had been declared dangerous despite the clear records showing who had issued the necessary permits. Serki emphasized that the case was fully documented, and accused the authorities of harassing the people involved without properly investigating the facts.
The SBCA officials claimed that they had not been posted in the area, yet their names had been included in the case. Advocate GM Qureshi pointed out that the police had not obtained the necessary records from the relevant authorities before making the arrests, suggesting that the arrests were politically motivated due to pressure from ministers. He added that the DG SBCA was ultimately responsible for the building’s approval.
Zeeshan Rajper further argued that the building owner’s family members had died in the collapse, and questioned why the authorities were pursuing charges against him, even though he did not have title documents for the property.
Defense lawyer Javed Chhatari contended that the accused had no responsibility in the incident, as the building was constructed 50 years ago, and no one knew who had granted approval. He insisted that the arrests were purely a form of harassment without solid evidence.
The court ultimately granted the police a three-day physical remand of the accused for further investigation.