Police Arrest Top Officials in SBCA Raid After Lyari Building Collapse
KARACHI — July 10, 2025: In a major development following the tragic collapse of a residential building in Karachi’s Lyari area, police have conducted a high-profile SBCA raid, arresting several senior officials of the Sindh Building Control Authority (SBCA).
The decisive action comes just days after the devastating collapse on Friday, which claimed at least 27 lives as rescue teams worked tirelessly to retrieve bodies from the rubble. The tragedy has once again highlighted Karachi’s long-standing issues with unsafe and illegal constructions.
According to SBCA sources, police officials stormed the SBCA office and detained multiple top-ranking building control officers during a meeting held in the authority’s conference room in the presence of the Director General of SBCA.
Who Was Arrested?
The SBCA raid led to the arrest of several key figures:
- Additional Director General Irfan Naqvi
- Director Ashfaq Khokhar
- Director (Structure) Faheem Murtaza
- Deputy Directors Asim Khan and Faheem Siddiqui
- Inspector Zulfiqar Shah
- Former Director Asif Rizvi (who was invited to the meeting)
- Director Industries Jalees Siddiqui
- Assistant Director Zafar
These officials were reportedly under scrutiny for their roles in overseeing — or failing to prevent — illegal construction activities, particularly in Lyari Town and the South Zone.
Why the Raid Happened
The arrested officers were attending a meeting called to discuss illegal portions constructed between 2021 and 2025. Sources say the officials linked to Lyari Division and South Zone had direct responsibilities over the oversight of these buildings.
A case has been formally registered at Baghdadi Police Station against the detained officers and several builders allegedly involved in unauthorized constructions that compromised the structural integrity of buildings like the one that collapsed last week.
Growing Pressure for Accountability
The tragic collapse in Lyari has sparked widespread public outrage and renewed demands for strict action against corrupt practices within municipal and building control bodies.
Urban experts argue that such disasters are the result of systemic negligence, bribery, and lack of regulatory enforcement by relevant authorities. The SBCA raid is seen as a rare but significant move towards accountability.
Background: The Lyari Tragedy
On Friday, a multi-storey residential building in Lyari crumbled without warning, trapping dozens under debris. Despite Karachi’s rescue teams’ efforts, 27 people lost their lives — adding to the city’s grim history of preventable building collapses.
Residents have repeatedly blamed poor construction standards, illegal additions, and corrupt approvals for such incidents.
What Happens Next?
Following the SBCA raid, investigations are underway to uncover the network of officials and private builders who have profited from illegal constructions at the cost of innocent lives.
Authorities have vowed to expand the probe, promising strict action against anyone found guilty, while citizens demand concrete reforms to end the culture of impunity in Karachi’s urban development sector.
Stay with us for the latest updates on the SBCA raid, the Lyari building collapse, and Karachi’s ongoing efforts to tackle illegal constructions.
