EDITORIAL: It is a shocking statistic. A recent meeting of the Senate Standing Committee on Housing and Works was informed that 90 percent of buildings in this country do not conform to safety standards. This is despite the fact a proper building code is in place, establishing minimum standards for building safety, structural integrity and sustainability.
Updated from time to time, it is overseen by the Pakistan Engineering Council, and notified by the Ministry of Science and Technology. Provincial planning departments are free to modify specific provisions in line with regional characteristics, such as environmental conditions and seismic risks, and responsible for ensuring all approved guidelines are effectively applied.
Yet violations are galore as digressions from original building plans are common. Besides, the rules pertaining to permissible covered area are not observed. There is an increasing trend towards high-rise buildings in major cities, but sans the fire escapes. In several sad incidents in Lahore people have remained trapped in them or even died while waiting for fire fighters to rescue them.
Noting that the Building Code of Pakistan, 2022, provides a framework for safe, sustainable and environmentally responsible construction, the Senate committee expressed concern over the lack of proper monitoring of construction by local departments.
It is an open secret that those in charge of monitoring turn a blind eye to violations of security measures in exchange for bribes. And as highlighted by Senator Bilal Ahmad, the involvement of consultants and contractors (hired by provincial authorities) also leads to fraudulent practices. He stressed the need for a clearly defined order of accountability.
Things can be made to work, as demonstrated by some reputable real estate developers in their projects, i.e., if only the provincial governments get their act together and take necessary action.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2024
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