• Six members of family injured in roof collapse
• All districts of Rawalpindi division put on alert to deal with possible floods

RAWALPINDI: After the collapse of a dilapidated building in Sarafa Bazaar on Monday morning, the Rawalpindi Municipal Corporation (RMC) issued the second notice to 100 building owners in the garrison city.

Talking to Dawn, RMC Chief Municipal Officer Imran Ali said the civic body issued notices to more than 100 old and rundown buildings in the garrison city after their survey.

Six members of a family were injured when the roof of their house caved in on Monday. Two of the injured of roof collapse were shifted to hospital in critical condition, while others were stated to be in stable condition.

Besides, the Punjab government has put all districts of Rawalpindi Division on high alert to deal with possible flooding during the upcoming monsoon season. RMC Chief Municipal Officer Imran Ali said that the civic body had issued notices to the owners of the buildings to repair or vacate their buildings to avoid any untoward situation during above normal monsoon season.

In limits of Rawalpindi Municipal Corporation (RMC), the dangerous buildings are located in Bohar Bazaar, Naya Mohallah, Lunda Bazaar, New Sarafa Bazaar, Chittian Hattian, Bhabara Bazaar, Nishtarabad, Chhachhi Mohallah, Allam Khan Road, Mohallah Niarian, Mohallah Waris Khan, Syed Puri Gate, Shah Chan Chiragh Mohallah, Talwaran Bazaar, Mochi Bazaar, Purana Qila, Raja Bazaar, Rani Bazaar and Chowk Bansanwala.

These buildings were mostly inhabited by low income people who refused to vacate the buildings and asked the government to provide alternative accommodation.

RMC Chief Municipal Officer Imran Ali said that the RMC would take action against only those buildings which were in a bad condition. He said that the RMC had also directed the residents of old buildings along Leh Nullah to vacate them.

Abdur Rehman, a resident of Mochi Bazaar, said that he would not shift to other place as he had no money to repair the present building or get another on rent.

He said that he had been living in this building for the last 30 years and if the government thought it was dangerous then it should provide loans to the owners of such buildings to repair them.

Ahmed Siddiqui, a resident of Chittian Hattian, termed the notices a routine matter as the RMC issued notices to them every year but did not provide the solution.

He urged the government to provide financial help to those who lived in such buildings.

“We will not provide financial help to the owners of these buildings as it is beyond our jurisdiction,” said the RMC official. He said that the basic purpose of the notices is to warn them of the danger the buildings pose.

“There are many buildings in RMC jurisdiction and if these buildings are not renovated or vacated, they could collapse in heavy rains and also affect nearby areas,” said an RMC senior official.

He said that they had identified the dangerous buildings and inform their owners to vacate or repair to avoid any untoward situation in the monsoon season.

Meanwhile, Divisional administration called a meeting of the disaster management committee on Monday at the Commissioner’s Office Rawalpindi and it was attended by Commissioner Aamer Khattak, Deputy Commissioner Rawalpindi Dr. Hassan Waqar Cheema, other administrative officials, Rescue 1122, and Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) representatives.

The committee directed all Deputy Commissioners of Rawalpindi, Attock, Jhelum, Chakwal, Murree and Talagang to remain proactive and ensure all necessary arrangements.

It stated that according to the forecast issued by PDMA, Punjab is expected to receive 20 to 25pc above-normal rainfall during the monsoon season, while northeastern divisions (Gujranwala, Gujrat, Lahore), along with districts like Okara and Faisalabad, are likely to experience 40 to 60 percent heavy rainfall. Additionally, fluctuations in the water level of River Chenab due to water discharge from India’s Salal Dam may pose further risks.

The divisional administration officials asked Wasa and local government departments to complete the cleaning of all drains and sewerage lines and keep rapid response teams on a standby.

All drainage pumps, generators, and machinery should be fully functional and installed at vulnerable sites. Special de-watering arrangements must be made for low-lying areas along the routes of Muharram processions. The irrigation department and Rescue 1122 should continuously monitor river water levels and keep all districts informed in a timely manner.

Meanwhile, a 45-year-old man drowned in a pond in Rawalpindi while body of a man was recovered from a nullah.

The body of a young man was found on the bank of a drain near the marquee of a private housing society in Rawat police station area. Rescue workers shifted him to the hospital for postmortem.

Similarly, the roof of a residential building near Lal Haveli in New Sarafa Bazaar area of Rawalpindi collapsed, resulting in the injuries to six people, including three women.

Four of the injured were given first aid on the spot, while two were immediately shifted to the District Headquarters Hospital (DHQ) as their condition was critical.

Among the injured were Mohammad Ali, 19, Akbar, 45, Easa, 27, Alina, 17 and Shabnam, 18.

Published in Dawn, July 1st, 2025