The heartbreaking aftermath of a building collapse in Karachi’s Lyari area has now claimed at least 16 lives, as rescue teams continue to search the rubble for any remaining survivors.
The tragedy unfolded on Friday in the Baghdadi neighborhood, where a 30-year-old residential building housing over 40 people suddenly gave way. As of Saturday afternoon, 16 bodies — including six women and 10 men — have been pulled from the debris. Three individuals are currently being treated for injuries.
Despite working through the night, rescue teams believe that around 10 to 12 people may still be trapped under the rubble. Heavy machinery and heartbeat-detecting devices are being used carefully, layer by layer, making the operation slow but necessary.
Grief and chaos overwhelmed the area, as worried relatives tried to help in any way they could, sometimes unintentionally disrupting rescue work. Rangers and city wardens have since cordoned off the site to allow operations to proceed safely.
District South Deputy Commissioner Javed Khoso said the building had been declared unsafe years ago. “We had issued a notice to vacate the building a month and a half ago,” he said, revealing that 22 other buildings in Lyari are in similar danger, with only 16 of them evacuated so far.
Yousuf, one of the survivors, shared that he was on the fourth floor when the building started to shake. “We felt it move twice. I was going downstairs with my aunt when everything collapsed.”
Commissioner Karachi, Syed Hassan Naqvi, visited the site and urged other residents in unstable buildings to relocate for their safety. “We can’t evict people by force,” he noted, but confirmed that a meeting with the Sindh Building Control Authority (SBCA) will be held to address illegal constructions.
The SBCA admitted the building had been marked dangerous for years. Notices were issued to residents and utility companies to disconnect power and water services, but the building remained occupied.
In response, the Sindh government has formed a high-level committee to investigate the collapse and submit a report within three days.
Meanwhile, the Association of Builders and Developers (ABAD) has called on the government to step in and relocate residents of other dangerous buildings. “Reconstruct the buildings, offer residents rent support for two years, and provide subsidies if needed,” urged ABAD official Hassan Bakshi.
This is not an isolated tragedy. Since 2017, Karachi has seen multiple deadly building collapses—often tied to old, illegally constructed, and neglected structures.
There are currently 578 buildings marked unsafe across the city. A staggering 456 of them are in District South alone. Experts warn that unless firm action is taken — beyond notices and warnings — such disasters will continue to haunt the city.
