Hyderabad halts demolition of 1936 building after partial tear-down

The district administration in Hyderabad has stopped the demolition of a 90-year-old building near Faujdari Road after part of the structure had already been pulled down, according to ProPakistani. City Assistant Commissioner Noor Hussain intervened at the site to halt the work, the outlet reported. Dawn also carried the news that demolition of the 1936 building had been halted.

The building was recommended for heritage protection by the Sindh Culture Department in February 2025, but it has not been formally listed. The proposal is still awaiting a decision by the Technical Committee on Sindh Cultural Heritage, which has yet to rule on the property's status.

In its recommendation, the culture department pointed to the structure's architectural features, including projecting balconies with carved stonework and large windows fitted with wooden panels. The same assessment noted that the building needed repairs because of potential public safety risks.

After the partial demolition, the assistant commissioner issued notices to the individuals claiming ownership of the property, directing them to submit ownership documents, permits and other relevant approvals within three days.

The Antiquities and Archaeology wing of the culture department separately issued a notice over the unauthorised demolition and directed the property owner to appear before the department on November 2.

The department said the work violated Section 10(i) of the Sindh Cultural Heritage (Preservation) Act, 1994, because it was carried out without prior permission. The owner has been ordered to stop all activity at the site or face legal consequences.

The Sindh Building Control Authority has been asked not to approve any demolition or construction work on the property until the technical committee reaches a final decision on its status.

The case turns on the gap between a departmental recommendation and formal protection: a property named for listing does not come under the Act until the committee approves it, and demolition can proceed in the interval unless an administrative order stops it.