In the wake of the tragic collapse of a five-story residential building in Karachi’s Lyari area on July 4, 2025, which claimed 27 lives, the district administration has intensified efforts to address unsafe and illegal constructions across the city. The Sindh Building Control Authority (SBCA) and district authorities have evacuated 51 highly dangerous buildings in Lyari, Aram Bagh, and Garden, with 59 structures in South Karachi declared uninhabitable. These buildings, comprising both residential and commercial units, pose significant risks to residents, particularly during the ongoing monsoon season, which exacerbates structural weaknesses.

The administration has compiled data on families displaced from these evacuated buildings, with 12 families from Lyari and the Old City Area submitting complaints to a special government cell established to address their grievances. This cell, set up at Governor House with helplines (1366 and 021-99204748), aims to coordinate support and resolve issues for affected residents, as announced by Sindh Governor Kamran Tessori. The government has also pledged temporary accommodations and three months’ rent assistance for displaced families, though many have opted to stay with relatives or in makeshift shelters due to inadequate facilities.

The crackdown extends to halting ongoing illegal constructions, with seven unauthorized projects identified in Aram Bagh and Garden and 32 in Lyari. The district administration has stopped these constructions, and a case has been registered against the builder and contractor of the collapsed Lyari building, citing substandard materials and illegal methods. The SBCA has faced scrutiny for its oversight failures, with eight senior officials detained and the former Director General dismissed. A new committee, led by the Karachi commissioner, is investigating 51 additional dilapidated buildings, with a report due within days.

The Lyari tragedy, which killed 11 women, 15 men, and a young girl, highlighted Karachi’s chronic issue of illegal constructions, with 588 buildings citywide declared dangerous, including 107 in Lyari alone, as per the reports.