FOOTPRINTS: A SYSTEM DISTORTED

Published July 23, 2017
KARACHI: A view of Liaquatabad shows multiple high-rises in the congested neighbourhood.—Fahim Siddiqi / White Star
KARACHI: A view of Liaquatabad shows multiple high-rises in the congested neighbourhood.—Fahim Siddiqi / White Star

A wide road along the main Liauqatabad No 10 lane takes a narrow turn to open into Nagina Chowk. Once you are in the middle of this intersection in the densely populated neighbourhood, you can’t escape from the hustle and bustle of everyday life.

Today, though, there is something more to add to routine business and the customary congestion. Rescue workers and local administration officials are busy removing the rubble of a multi-storey residential building that collapsed in the early hours of Tuesday morning, leaving five dead and over a dozen injured.

At a distance, labourers are preparing to demolish at least two more weakened structures in the same street. For the occupants’ benefit, they’ve been declared “dilapidated and dangerous” by the Sindh Building Control Authority (SCBA). A few yards away, occupants who were evacuated from these two “dangerous buildings” stand by, watching helplessly. As labourers equipped with machinery approach what were homes, the erstwhile residents decide to break their silence and stage a protest.

“You are victimising us for your crime,” Afzaal Siddiqi shouts at the SCBA officer supervising the demolition of the two buildings. “You allowed those owners and builders to raise this illegal structure. You were paid a bribe for that and when it comes to implementation of the law, you are depriving the tenants of their homes to cover up your crime.”

The protest by Siddiqi and dozens of others only delays matters. As personnel of law enforcement agencies take control of the crowd, machinery starts moving to complete the job. Slogans and shouts of protest fall silent. The two structures come to the ground within the next few hours.

The decision to demolish the two buildings came from the SBCA after the collapse of their neighbouring four-storey building “weakened” their structures. The collapse of the building claimed five lives and the homes of four families. The demolition of the two buildings leaves seven more families homeless. The protest by the occupants of these buildings went largely unnoticed. The multi-storey structures, razed by the authorities, were built on plots measuring a mere 60 yards and had serious flaws in the designs.

But what was noticeable during the protest were the claims and allegations made by the occupants — there is a reality check to be recognised here. Standing at the main Nagina Chowk, between the high-rises, I can barely see the clouds. The multi-storey structures here — home to dozens of families and hundreds of people — leave one trembling for their density. The majority of these buildings, one after another, are raised on 60-yard plots. In some cases, the basic plot size is even smaller.

“Such [illegal] structures have been here for a long time,” says Ameer Hussain, one of the protesters, while talking to media persons gathered at the spot. “But the construction gathered pace after 2008. Everyone — the police, the SBCA, the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation, the political parties — that have a stronghold in the area knows that this activity was illegal. But they all deliberately stayed silent because they were paid off. The smallest part was played by the people living in these buildings on rent. Since they are poor, only they would be targeted in the name of law and justice.”

The allegations made by the area people need investigation for the truth to come out. Still, the negligence of the authorities — whether deliberate or due to incompetence — is obvious. And when it comes to illegal structures with flaws in the design, Liaquatabad is not alone.

Every city district has dozens of commercial and residential buildings that pose a serious threat to lives, but the SBCA, the regulatory body, has not seen any action against it. This, despite the fact that it lists some 350 buildings considered dangerous — most of them pre-Partition — as well as new illegal ones coming up every day.

The SCBA official supervising the demolition of the two buildings is hesitant to respond when I put the area people’s allegations before him. He agrees to talk only on condition of anonymity.

“The SBCA alone is not responsible for this mess,” he says admitting culpability and at the same time defending his institution. “There are many institutions involved and most importantly, there is always the influence of the people and the parties in power. They use their connections. They encourage such illegal activities. For their personal business interests, they bring corrupt officials into place to carry out such jobs.”

I ask about his hopes for any action and strong policy to check such illegal business. He replies in the affirmative to a part of the question: “Definitely, there is always action, but only when such an incident occurs. You are seeing one of the actions here. Once the issue fizzles out, so does the action. And for your question about policy — it’s the policy,” he says.

Published in Dawn, July 23rd, 2017

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