Labourers employed by the SBCA demolish illegally constructed floors in a building. —Dawn • SBCA appears ineffective as previously demolished illicit structures are brazenly rebuilt in North Nazimabad, other areas• Complainants also face ‘threats’ for speaking up against ‘portion mafia’• Building control authority claims 396 ‘enforcement actions’ this year KARACHI: Despite the recent Gul Plaza tragedy and subsequent official claims of stricter enforcement of building regulations, the Sindh Building Control Authority (SBCA) remains under the spotlight for all the wrong reasons, as persistent complaints of illegal construction in the city continue to surface while the provincial anti-corruption watchdog has also initiated inquiries against some SBCA officials over multiple complaints. In many residential areas, buildings are being raised or altered in clear violation of approved plans in an organised manner by what many describe as the “portion mafia” — which purchases residential plots and constructs illegal additional floors (ground plus three or four) where only one- or maximum two-storey structures are permitted — placing immense strain on already overburdened civic infrastructure.

A recently released number of the demolished illegal structures or under construction portions by the SBCA itself reflects the gravity of the situation. North Nazimabad stands out as an example, where a surge in such unauthorised developments has triggered concern among residents and local officials alike, drawing complaints from affected inhabitants who say that their quality of life is steadily deteriorating due to the illegal constructions. Residents who raise their voice against unlawful activity also face threats.

In one such case, in Block I of the neighbourhood, a local resident, Aftab Shah, claims to have even faced “threats” for putting up resistance to illegal construction activity. He said next to his house, a multi-storey residential building was being raised on a 200-square-yard plot “illegally”. He approached the authorities and finally got a demolition order from the SBCA against the illegal construction.

“The SBCA team arrived and they demolished the under-construction structure. However, to our surprise the builder returned after some time and resumed the construction making it clear that the earlier action had been merely a cosmetic one,” he said, adding: “We raised objections again but this time I was threatened and told to remain silent. I was even summoned to the Shahrah-i-Noor Jehan police station where I was asked by the police not to pursue the matter further.” This is not just a case of one block of the city’s most well-planned middle-class residential area as similar complaints have grown multiple times in recent years from Federal B Area, Liaquatabad, Jamshed, PECHS, Nazimabad, Lyari and old city areas.

‘Powerless TMCs’ As construction activities in the neighbourhoods have intensified, this has increasingly become a concern for the authorities of town municipal corporations (TMCs). However, despite the mounting complaints, they say that they are largely “powerless” to act due to limited jurisdiction. North Nazimabad Town Chairman Aatif Ali Khan said that residents from multiple blocks had approached him with grievances regarding such constructions.

However, he said that addressing the issue fell outside the authority of the town administration. “These constructions are not only a source of distress for residents but also pose a serious challenge to the town as they severely impact the area’s infrastructure,” he said. He explained that if a plot was designed to house 10 to 12 people, “how can it accommodate 60 to 70?

Ultimately, the burden falls on the town’s infrastructure but due to a lack of authority we are unable to take action.” Although the SBCA’s spokesman did not respond to Dawn queries about the complaints of North Nazimabad residents against the illegal constructions, a recent data shared by the building watchdog in a statement reflects the growing number of illegal construction in the city. Illegal construction grows The SBCA said that from January to April, a total of 396 enforcement actions were carried out across Karachi. These included 136 actions in district East, 17 in West, 52 in South, 133 in Central, 27 in Korangi, 23 in Malir, five in Keamari and three in the industrial zone, said the statement.

It claimed that the “authority is no longer confined to issuing notices alone, but is taking immediate field action through demolition of illegal portions, sealing of premises, removal of unauthorised structures, and stoppage of unlawful construction work on the spot”. Scrutiny While complaints of illegal construction persist, officials of the SBCA are also facing scrutiny from the Sindh Anti-Corruption Establishment, which has initiated multiple inquiries. These investigations pertain not only to unlawful construction but also to alleged irregular and illegal appointments of certain offic