HYDERABAD: The Technical Committee on Sindh Heritage has decided to recommend registration of an FIR regarding the serious damage caused to the 87-year-old heritage building, located within the proximity of the historical Pucca Qila site in Hyderabad.

The building built in 1939 had sustained the damage to its upper story by a fire on May 3 and officials of the district administration found unauthorised digging on a big scale clandestinely carried out on the ground floor. The building was sealed by the assistant commissioner concerned and an inquiry against the owner(s) was started.

The recommendation for legal action was made by the sub-committee of the technical committee at a meeting chaired by Dr Kaleem Lashari, an archaeology expert, who chared the proceedings.

Director General of the Antiquities and Archaeology Department Abdul Fatah Shaikh confirmed to Dawn over phone on Thursday that the subcommittee has taken the decision in its meeting earlier in the day. He said that the reply to the show-cause notice issued to the owner(s) was found to be unsatisfactory. Therefore, the department would proceed against the offender(s) as per the law, he said.

Property remains sealed since May 3, when ‘massive’ unauthorised digging was found on ground floor; authorities not satisfied with reply filed on owners’ behalf

According to Mr Shaikh, the reply was submitted on behalf of multiple owners of the building.

After the fire, a local official of the culture department had also requested the City mukhtiarkar in writing confirmation of the building’s ownership. In his reply dated May 5, the mukhtiarkar had stated that the building was owned by late Mohammad Ahmed and, after his death, his heirs — 12 in all —

owned this property. They included Asma, Erum, M. Irfan, M. Faisal, M. Rizwan, M. Fahad, Ahmer Ahmed, Ahmed Mohammad, Ms Sahzia, Ms Shahnila and Ms Kehkashan.

Mr Shaikh said that when legal action would be taken, the concerned individuals would be named precisely.

Submitting his reply on behalf of the owners, Mr Faisal reportedly stated that the fire had damaged his property and it was feared that the building might collapse. He said he had informed the concerned police station and officials as well.

Regarding unauthorised activity, construction alteration etc, he mentioned that due to two fire incidents the floor of the building had almost sunk and that’s why SBCA had declared the property ‘dangerous’. He said that he had requested the SBCA for permission for repair of the property but he was told that such a system had been discontinued.

Therefore, he engaged private engineers for carrying out work to support the wall and column. He denied having made any unauthorised construction.

Published in Dawn, May 16th, 2026