The Sindh Building Control Authority on Wednesday sealed Rimpa Plaza, located next to Gul Plaza, following a devastating fire in Karachi.
The deadly blaze at Gul Plaza on M.A. Jinnah Road has claimed at least 28 lives, while dozens remain missing. Search and rescue operations are still underway.
Officials said the decades-old Rimpa Plaza suffered structural stress due to the intensity of the fire. As a precaution, SBCA sealed the building after a joint inspection. This inspection was conducted by its technical team and a senior engineer from the Pakistan Engineering Council, Arif Qasim.
In a formal notice to the owners and occupants, SBCA declared the structure damaged, unsafe, and dangerous. The authority stated that several portions of Gul Plaza collapsed during the fire. As a result, debris struck the ramp area of Rimpa Plaza and damaged key structural columns.
سندھ بلڈنگ کنٹرول اتھارٹی کی کارروائی رمپا پلازه سیل#ARYNews pic.twitter.com/T6XJa2jFb9
— ARY NEWS (@ARYNEWSOFFICIAL) January 21, 2026Following the inspection, SBCA concluded that the affected section posed a serious risk to human life and property. The authority directed the owners to immediately stop using the damaged area and to remove unsafe structural components without delay.
SBCA also ordered that all repair and strengthening work must be carried out under the supervision of a qualified structural engineer and in strict compliance with relevant building laws. It clarified that no use or occupation of the affected area would be allowed until a competent authority certifies the structure as safe.
Read: Rimpa Plaza at Risk of Collapse After Gul Plaza Fire in Karachi
The authority warned that failure to comply with these directives would invite legal action under applicable Sindh building control laws.
Meanwhile, Rimpa Plaza’s management rejected claims that the building is unsafe, stating that the structure remains secure and poses no risk.
He explained that only a wall of the parking ramp was damaged by the neighbouring fire. Furthermore, the building’s overall structural integrity remains intact. He described reports suggesting otherwise as misleading and unfounded.
