Sindh Local Government Minister Syed Nasir Hussain Shah on Saturday announced a comprehensive reform and enforcement framework aimed at transforming the Sindh Building Control Authority (SBCA) into a transparent, accountable, technology-driven and effective regulatory organisation.
The announcement was made after detailed deliberations, institutional review and calculated consultations on the SBCA’s structural and operational challenges.
Officials said that the decision follows an in-depth assessment of persistent issues, including illegal constructions, dangerous and dilapidated buildings, protection of heritage structures, delays in construction approvals, governance weaknesses and complaints of corruption within the system.
The minister emphasised that the Government of Sindh is committed to restoring public confidence and strengthening regulatory oversight to protect human lives and urban infrastructure.
Taking strict notice of illegal constructions across Karachi, the minister ordered that a Special Anti-Illegal Construction Task Force be constituted immediately. The task force will focus on identification, monitoring and demolition of unauthorised structures.
It will utilise modern drone surveillance technology to detect illegal constructions in real time. Moreover, drone surveys will be made mandatory in densely populated areas to ensure continuous monitoring and early intervention.
Highlighting the risks posed by unauthorised additional portions and unsafe structures, the minister said that illegal constructions endanger human lives and would not be tolerated under any circumstances.
As part of institutional reforms, the Sindh government has approved the expansion of the single-window facility to all SBCA regions to streamline public dealings and reduce procedural bottlenecks.
In addition, thousands of approval files and legacy records across all regions are being digitised to eliminate record manipulation, improve transparency and ensure secure data management.
The approval process has already been made fully online for category-I buildings. Categories II and III are being transitioned to the online system, while category-IV approvals will also be digitised and integrated with S-BOSS.
S-BOSS, or the Sindh Business One-Stop Shop, is a flagship digital initiative of the provincial government that has been designed to streamline business regulations, licensing and permits. To strengthen citizen engagement and transparency, a geo-tagged Complaint Tracking System is being introduced. The system will enable citizens to submit complaints digitally and track their status in real time, ensuring accountability and responsiveness.
The reform package also includes strengthened monitoring of dangerous buildings, protection mechanisms for heritage structures and institutional accountability measures.
Shah reaffirmed that these reforms mark a decisive step toward making the SBCA a credible, efficient and technology-driven regulatory body capable of ensuring safe urban development and protecting the lives and properties of residents across Sindh.
