Mohsin Sheikhani, chairman Association of Builders and Developers of Pakistan (ABAD) warned that at least one million peoples' lives are at stake if illegal construction, which is being patronized by Sindh Building Control Authority (SBCA) for personal gains, is not stopped, immediately by all means.He said that the collapse of six-story building at Ranchore Lane has proved the fear showed by them; adding that ABAD had been raising voice against illegal construction in Karachi for long but the illegal construction was being carried out in various areas of Karachi under the very nose of SBCA, which was supposed to regulate construction across the Sindh particularly in Karachi.He said that ABAD through separate letters sent to the Chief Minister Sindh Syed Murad Ali Shah, Chief Secretary Sindh Mumtaz Ali Shah, Sindh Minister for Local Government Nasir Hussain Shah, Advisor to Chief Minister on Law Murtaza Wahab, Chairman National Disaster Management Authority Lt. Gen. Muhammad Afzal and Chairman Sindh Disaster Management Authority Syed Salman Shah expressed fear of any mishap due to illegal construction in Karachi. However, no one paid heed on this warning but now the fear became reality after Ranchore Land incident. Fortunately, no casualty was reported hurt in this incident but the authorities should consider it seriously and take measures on war-footing basis to avert any untoward incident in near future, Sheikhani said.

He said that SBCA was promoting illegal construction for personal gains and termed it as high time for authorities to consider this incident as a wake-up call in order to take action against mafias in SBCA and save human lives, which are at stake due to non-implementation of building bylaws, leaving the Karachiities at the mercy of these unscrupulous elements.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2019