The Sindh Building Control Authority (SBCA) on Thursday reportedly sealed a dental clinic owned by former president of Pakistan Dr Arif Alvi citing violations of zoning regulations.
Sources privy to the matter said the clinic - located in the Sindhi Muslim Cooperative Housing Society (SMCHS) - was being operated in a residential bungalow, which is in contravention of the authority's rules.
The operation to seal the clinic was conducted under the supervision of Assistant Director SBCA, Shakeel Jamali. A team of SBCA officials, accompanied by local police, participated in the action.
The authorities claim that the clinic was being run in a residential area without the necessary permits for commercial activity.
Sources further revealed that the clinic’s location in a residential zone prompted complaints, leading to the SBCA’s crackdown. “This is part of our ongoing efforts to address illegal commercial use of residential properties,” said an SBCA official on condition of anonymity.
Dr Arif Alvi, who served as Pakistan’s president from 2018 to 2023, has not yet publicly commented on the matter. The clinic has been a long-standing establishment in the area, and its sealing has garnered attention due to Dr Alvi’s political profile.