The frequent building collapses in Karachi, such as the recent tragedy in Lyari that killed over 20 people, prove that Karachi’s construction sector is plagued by lax enforcement of safety regulations and amply highlight systemic failures in checks and balances, construction standards, regulatory oversight and, more importantly, corruption. Immediate remedial measures like transparent inquiries, massive surveys of unsafe buildings, stricter penalties for corrupt builders and officials and affordable housing schemes to reduce reliance on illegal constructions are the need of the hour.
Regardless of how much compensation we announce for the loss of lives and property, until we address root causes like corruption, unplanned urbanisation and weak governance, Karachi’s cycle of tragedies will continue.
Air Cdre (r) M Khalid Kamal
Islamabad
