The Sindh Building Control Authority (SBCA) has started a campaign to demolish dilapidated and unsafe buildings in Karachi, according to a press release issued on Thursday.

Earlier this month, the SBCA launched a province-wide survey of dangerous buildings and ordered the immediate demolition of all illegal structures across Sindh. The operation aims to ensure public safety and bring long-overdue accountability to Sindh’s urban areas.

According to the press release, Minister for Local Government Nasir Hussain Shah ordered the demolition campaign, which is being carried out by SBCA Director General Muzamil Hussain Halepoto.

“The demolition operation has begun in Lyari’s Noabad and Agra Taj, where highly dangerous buildings are being safely dismantled by SBCA demolition teams,” the press release read, quoting an authority spokesperson.

“As per the latest SBCA report, a total of 540 buildings in Karachi have been declared dangerous, of which 59 are categorised as extremely hazardous.”

The press release noted that the buildings slated for demolition have already been vacated and the process itself is being carried out in phases with the support of the district administration.

“Our top priority is to ensure that no citizen loses their life under a collapsing building. This campaign is a crucial step toward a safer Karachi,” Halepoto said.

He added that a zero-tolerance policy is being enforced against illegal and unauthorised buildings in addition to the demolition campaign.

In July, a committee formed to address unsafe buildings and illegal construction across the province was informed that as many as 300 families had been evicted from 56 “extremely dangerous” buildings in the metropolis and were being provided monthly rental assistance of Rs30,000 for three months.

Then-local government minister Saeed Ghani said that a comprehensive survey of all 740 buildings declared “dangerous” across Sindh, including 588 in Karachi, was being conducted afresh in collaboration between the government and private institutions.

He revealed that of the 61 “extremely dangerous” buildings in Karachi, 56 had already been re-surveyed and vacated, while the remaining five — four in Garden and one in Saddar— are under judicial scrutiny and will soon be vacated as well.