Karachi building collapse: death toll reaches 17

The death toll from the collapse of a five-storey residential building in Karachi’s Lyari rose to 17 as search and rescue operation continued on Saturday, Aaj News reported.

Rescue officials said that around 10 people may still be trapped under the rubble.

The incident occurred on Friday in the Baghdadi area of Lyari where a six-story residential building housing 20 apartments collapsed.

The building, constructed in 1974 and home to six families, had been previously declared dangerous by city authorities, but no action was taken to relocate residents or reconstruct the structure.

According to the records, approximately 100,000 illegal residential buildings have been constructed in Karachi over the past decade, allegedly with the connivance of Sindh Building Control Authority (SBCA), officials, as per AFP.

Meanwhile, Karachi Mayor Murtaza Wahab responded to the tragedy by placing responsibility on the victims themselves.

“The unfortunate event is proof that when the government tells you something, listen,” Wahab said, acknowledging that authorities had only warned the inhabitants about the building’s dangerous condition.

The mayor admitted that more than 400 buildings in Karachi have been declared dangerous, saying that the government faces two options: “either persuade people to leave or evict them forcefully.”

However, he noted that administrations typically prefer persuasion over force.