Lyari Collapse: A Tragedy That Must Transform How We Build
The recent collapse of a five-storey residential building in Karachi’s Lyari neighborhood, which claimed at least 27 lives and injured more than 13 others, is a devastating reminder of the fragility of urban life for thousands of families in Pakistan. With nearly 100 residents occupying the structure at the time of its collapse, this incident highlights the glaring deficiencies in urban management, infrastructure safety, and socio-economic planning.
Addressing the Humanitarian Fallout:
This tragedy sheds light on the severe housing crisis faced by low-income communities in Karachi. Families are forced to live in compromised buildings due to the lack of affordable, safe housing options. The affected structure had already been declared dangerous by the Sindh Building Control Authority (SBCA), yet no meaningful steps were taken to evacuate or rehabilitate its residents.
This is not merely a failure of infrastructure; it is a humanitarian crisis.
Solutions must go beyond immediate relief and include long-term efforts, such as:
Invest in Dignified, Affordable Housing: Safe housing is not a luxury—it is a right. We must prioritize public-private partnerships that create accessible homes for vulnerable populations.
Raise Community Awareness: Civic campaigns must educate the public on building safety, reporting protocols (SMS-based alerts, mobile apps), and their rights to safe living environments. Prevention begins with empowered citizens.
Policy Advocacy and Accountability: Regulatory bodies must enforce building codes. Civil society monitors must demand transparency and hold negligent authorities accountable.
Reforming Urban Infrastructure and Enforcement:
The Lyari collapse highlights structural and oversight gaps that must no longer be ignored. A 2024 SBCA report identified over 570 buildings in Karachi as unsafe; yet many continue to be inhabited. It’s time to enforce regulations and empower change.
Key priorities to prevent future disasters include:
- Routine Structural Inspections:
Independent third-party inspections must become mandatory. Reports should be made public, with clear timelines for action and repair.
- Empower Building Control Authorities:
SBCA and related institutions must be granted authority—not just to issue notices—but to enforce emergency evacuations and structural shutdowns where human life is at risk.
- Redesign Unsafe Urban Areas:
Poorly planned neighborhoods with blocked roads, narrow exits, and unregulated construction delay emergency response. We must redesign our cities for safety, not just expansion.
A Call for Justice in Urban Planning:
The Lyari building collapse is more than a single tragedy—it reflects deep-rooted issues of structural neglect, inequality, and weak governance. As our cities expand, the divide between safe and unsafe living conditions continues to grow, putting countless lives at risk. This must be a turning point. Urban safety should be treated as a basic right, not a privilege. With responsible planning, strict enforcement, and collective action from both public and private sectors, we can rebuild not just structures, but a safer and more just future for all.
— Sajid Ali Abbasi