Mayor slams 'corrupt' SBCA officials for negligence.

Byline: Tahir Siddiqui

KARACHI -- Holding the provincial government and the Sindh Building Control Authority responsible for the Golimar building collapse tragedy, Mayor Wasim Akhtar said illegal construction of multistorey buildings was rampant in the city since the establishment of the SBCA.

'The defunct Karachi Building Control Authority had at least some control on construction of high-rise buildings in the city before', he said adding that the 'corrupt' SBCA officials were directly and actively involved in the mushroom growth of buildings constructed in sheer violation of building laws posing danger to the lives and property of people.

The mayor was talking to a group of media persons during his visit to the collapsed building site where rescue and fire brigade staff of the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation was still conducting rescue operation.

'All-out efforts are being made to rescue the trapped people from the debris', he said quoting rescue sources, adding that one or two persons were still feared trapped under the collapsed structure.

He said that the initial 36 hours were very important for rescuing the trapped people and all precautions were being taken in the rescue operation.

The mayor said that the debris was being removed carefully in the presence of officials from relevant departments of the municipal administration.

He said that the building was being demolished manually due to the possibility of survivors under the rubble. 'The building will be demolished only after ascertaining that all victims are rescued', the mayor added.

He said that...