Pak building collapse suspect arrested in Greece

An architect wanted in Pakistan for faulty designing of a building here that collapsed in the 2005 earthquake killing 78 people, has been arrested in Greece, media reported today.
Sheikh Abdul Hafeez, having dual nationality of Pakistan and Britain, was nabbed by police at airport passport control on the western Greek resort island of Zakynthos.
Pakistan police wanted to investigate the 71-year-old architect for collapse of high-rise Margalla Towers in Islamabad in the 2005 earthquake which killed 78 people and injured 84 others.
Authorities had named owner of the building, his wife and Hafeez as the main culprits, The Express reported.

No official was immediately available to comment on the arrest of Hafeez.
Hafeez being a British national had evaded arrest despite Red Warrants issued by the Interpol.

The 10-storey building was once the shining landmark of the Pakistani capital but now is only frequented by beggars and vagabonds seeking temporary shelter.
Though the authorities have compensated the victims with Rs 1.7 billion but the three accused have not been brought to justice.
Ironically, the owner Ramzan Khokhar was also paid Rs 43.5 million rupees for his personal four flats which were damaged, but he is still at large despite being the main accused.

Margalla Towers was the only building which fell due to the devastating quake that flattened or damaged 600,000 houses and killed over 73,000 people in northern parts of Pakistan.