KARACHI: A protected heritage building on main M.A. Jinnah Road has been partially demolished and the provincial heritage department asked the Sindh Building Control Authority (SBCA) to immediately get the illegal demolition stopped and take action against violators.

The demolition work on the building, enlisted as protected heritage, on the M. A. Jinnah Road has been ongoing for some time and the directorate general of antiquities and archaeology has approached the SBCA through a letter titled “Unauthorised demolition work on heritage building at Plot No JM-1/82, M.A. Jinnah Road, Dayaram Gihdumal Road, near PSP Petrol Pump, Jamshed Quarters, Karachi”.

It said that some illegal demolition work without obtaining prior permission from the department was being carried out on the building enlisted as Protected Heritage under the Sindh Cultural Heritage (Preservation) Act, 1994.

However, it did not mention who is behind the illegal activity.

Reminding the SBCA of the Advisory Committee’s meeting held on Feb 2, 24 that stated that the SBCA was responsible for ensuring compliance with building control regulations and protecting heritage of the city, the letter asked the SBCA to take immediate action to get the illegal demolition on the subject heritage stopped immediately.

However, the boundary wall of the protected structure was already demolished by the time SBCA acted on the letter, said an official.

Published in Dawn, December 31st, 2024