KARACHI: The government has decided to take priority measures for the evacuation and demolition of dangerous buildings and providing housing to affected residents.

It was decided in a meeting chaired by Provincial Minister for Local Government Syed Nasir Hussain Shah on Thursday at the Karachi commissioner office.

The meeting participants decided to expedite the evacuation of unsafe buildings, demolish those already evacuated and rehabilitate the affected people.

The commissioner of Karachi briefed the minister that assistant commissioners had completed the general survey of 471 out of 588 highly dangerous buildings.

The meeting participants decided to take priority measures for the rehabilitation of residents affected by the evacuation of 59 buildings.

It was decided that flats will be constructed for the affected people.

Syed Nasir Hussain Shah said that similar surveys were needed in Hyderabad, Sukkur, and other cities.

Meanwhile, electricity supply to City View Apartments in Saddar and another dilapidated building was disconnected on Wednesday on the orders of the Cantonment Board, which declared the buildings inhabitable.

However, senior MQM-Pakistan leader Dr Farooq Sattar visited the area and contacted Additional CEO of the Cantonment Board, Yamna Afzal, and formally provided a written guarantee on behalf of the residents, after which the electricity was restored.

Speaking to residents, Dr Farooq Sattar said that the injustice being inflicted on nearly 200 flat owners, allegedly in collusion with the builder, must come to an end.

He assured the residents of assistance in the building repairs.

Published in Dawn, January 2nd, 2026