KARACHI: The Sindh government has filed a police case against the owner of a British-era building for illegally demolishing it.

The issue of unauthorised demolition and construction work on the Pana Chand Dasandash Nyandas Building at Moosa Street in Kharadar was highlighted in the social media recently.

Architect Marvi Mazhar tweeted a video of the demolition of the building and write: “This is how we loose our heritage buildings on everyday level. And after showing notice or reacting — it’s too late. Building is left vulnerable”, asking the ruling party in the Sindh to take action “before this city is left with ugly real estate”.

A spokesman for the provincial culture and heritage department said that action against the illegal demolition of the heritage building was taken in the morning by sealing off it in the presence of local administration and police.

He said that a case against Mushtaq Ahmed, the owner of the building, was registered with the Kharadar police station under Section 18 of the Sindh Cultural Heritage (Preservation) Act on the complaint of an employee of the culture, tourism and antiquities department.

Sources said that the owner had already been served with a show-cause notice on Monday, a day before the matter was highlighted in the social media.

They said that the owner of the building was directed to immediately stop the illegal demolition work and appear before the department to explain his position.

They said that sealing order, which was pasted on the wall of the protected building, also warned that if anyone trespassed the subject premises or broke the seal, he or she would be prosecuted and punished under Section 18 of the Sindh Heritage (Prevention) Act.

The sources said that the unauthorised demolition and illegal construction works at buildings and monuments from the colonial period continue mainly due to lacunae in the heritage law as well as shortage of staff.

They said that there were over 3,500 protected buildings and sites across the province, including 1,750 in Karachi alone, while only 10 staffers in Karachi and as many in the interior of Sindh were deputed to keep an eye on the unauthorised demolition and illegal construction, which was mostly done by influential owners and builders.

The sources said that it was primarily the responsibility of the Sindh Building Control Authority to monitor the protected buildings and ensure that no demolition or construction work was carried out at the heritage sites.

Published in Dawn, March 24th, 2023