Death toll rises to 25 in Karachi Building Collapse amid corruption allegations & negligence

KARACHI: The death toll from the collapse of a multi-storey residential building in the Baghdadi area of ​​Lyari has tragically risen to 25, with rescue operations entering their third day.

An infant girl is among the dead as authorities fear that more than a dozen more people may still be trapped under the rubble. The death toll from the devastating collapse of a five-storey residential building in the Baghdadi area of ​​Lyari, Karachi, has risen to 25, with rescue workers retrieving two more bodies late Saturday night.

According to the Sindh Building Control Authority (SBCA), the structure was declared dangerous about three years ago, and several evacuation notices were issued to residents, which were ignored.

Rescue operations led by emergency services and with the help of locals have been ongoing since the building collapsed on Friday morning. Heavy machinery is being used, but work has been slowed down by narrow streets, darkness and unstable rubble.

Authorities have confirmed that seven women and two children are among the dead, while eight people, including three women, were injured in the incident. Two victims are unknown at this stage.

Amid the backlash, Sindh Local Government Minister Saeed Ghani admitted that negligence and corruption in the relevant departments have fueled illegal construction across Karachi.

Speaking on a local news program, Ghani confirmed that the government had tried to evacuate the Lyari building a few days before the tragedy but their efforts were met with resistance from residents.

“Forced evacuations often invite public backlash, but when lives are at stake, we must act,” Ghani asserted. He also revealed that 16 high-risk buildings have been successfully evacuated in recent months.

Legal action, including stiff penalties, is underway for those responsible for unauthorized and unsafe constructions.