Building collapses common in Pakistan as safety codes ignored: speakers.

ISLAMABAD -- With rapid urbanisation, it is estimated that by 2030, more than 45pc of Pakistan's population will be living in cities, but because safety codes for the construction of buildings are often ignored, building collapses are common, participants of an online seminar said on Tuesday.

Speaking at a seminar organised by the Iqbal Institute of Policy Studies (IIPS) to assess the reasons behind building collapses in Pakistan and to prevent such incidents in the future, they said it was imperative to completely rethink cities and urban spaces to encourage resilient, environment-friendly and sustainable development practices.

Pakistan's fragile built environment has given rise to frequent media reports of collapsed buildings in major cities.

NED University of Engineering and Technology Vice Chancellor Dr Sarosh Hashmat Lodhi said that the most fundamental cause of building collapse is the failure to comply with construction and safety codes.

He said there are multiple factors leading to structural failure in Pakistan, including poor design, lack of testing before and after construction, foundation failure and lack of maintenance or a combination of these.

The Capital Development Authority Member Planning and Design Dr Shahid Mehmood said old buildings that have...