Another building tilts precariously in Karachi’s Gulbahar area

KARACHI: A month after a high-rise building collapsed in the Gulbahar (Old Golimar) area killing sixteen people, another six-storey building has been precariously tilting in the area raising fears that a tragedy could happen at any moment.

According to area residents, local authorities were informed about the looming disaster but no action had been taken in this regard. The Sindh Building Control Authority (SCBA) has been in a deep slumber and had not diverted any attention toward the building. This has created fear and panic in the locality as several families are still living in the building.

Residents claimed that the builder continued with the construction of the building under the patronage of SBCA officials. The regularity authority has allowed the construction of illegal buildings across the city despite orders by the Supreme Court of Pakistan to take strict action against all types of illegal construction. However, any influential builders enjoy political support and manage to get away from any action.

SBCA directors, assistant directors and other officials allegedly receive hefty payments to allow these constructions. The worst affected are residents who spend their entire income to find accommodation and get duped by the builders who have either constructed on illegal plots or used substandard materials in the construction.

A petition has filed been filed in the Supreme Court to take action against all officials in illegal constructions and evacuate all dangerous and unfit for living buildings. The residents have demanded strict action against all those responsible for defrauding them of their hard-earned incomes.