The Association of Builders and Developers (ABAD) chairman, Muhammad Hassan Bakshi, expressed grave concern over the ongoing risks posed by illegal and poorly constructed buildings in Karachi. He reported that around 700 such buildings, along with hundreds of thousands of similar structures, continue to jeopardise the safety and lives of city residents.
Speaking at a press conference at ABAD House, Bakshi criticised the government-appointed committee investigating the recent building collapse in Lyari, which resulted in 27 fatalities. He called for the inclusion of private sector representatives in the inquiry. He also pointed out that in the past five years, illegal building collapses had resulted in 150 deaths, blaming “corruption, greed, and government negligence.”
ABAD chairman highlighted the ongoing risk posed by the thousands of poorly constructed buildings, many of which lack necessary structural integrity and are illegal. He warned that in the event of an earthquake, these buildings could collapse, resulting in a large-scale loss of life. He also called for anti-terrorism charges to be filed against those responsible for the illegal construction and the government officials enabling it.
ABAD has offered to help reconstruct the 700 most dangerous buildings, with Bakshi calling for compensation of Rs2.5 million for the families of those killed in the Lyari collapse and Rs1 million for the displaced victims.
He also criticised local authorities for failing to effectively regulate construction practices and for not conducting proper structural surveys, urging authorities to work with institutions like NESPAK or NDMA to assess and rectify the situation.
Bakshi further pointed out that development authorities such as the Malir Development Authority (MDA) and Lyari Development Authority (LDA) had collected over Rs25 billion under the pretext of residential schemes but failed to deliver on any projects.
In response to Karachi’s severe housing shortage, Bakshi appealed to Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah to implement housing schemes similar to those in Punjab. He emphasized that ABAD is ready to build 100,000 houses if tasked with the responsibility by the provincial government.
