Decades of Warnings Ignored as Karachi Faces Yet Another Tragedy in Lyari Building Collapse

578 buildings across Karachi declared as

dangerous, many of them in Lyari, the citizens

continue to live under the shadow of death

Staff Reporter

Karachi: For years, the narrow streets of Karachi’s Lyari have echoed with sorrow. Crumbling walls, falling roofs, and rescue sirens have become all too familiar. In the past few years alone, five major building collapses — four of them in Lyari — have claimed 79 lives and left hundreds injured. Families shattered, children orphaned, dreams buried beneath concrete.

And yet, nothing changed.

Latest Collapse in Baghdadi Area Claims 19 Lives
On Friday, another tragedy struck. A five-storey building in Lyari’s Baghdadi area collapsed into rubble, killing 19 people and injuring several others. The building, constructed in 1974, had long been declared unsafe by the Sindh Building Control Authority (SBCA), yet families continued to live there, clinging to hope and survival.

Danger Ignored: 578 Buildings Still Inhabited
Despite SBCA declaring 578 buildings across Karachi as dangerous — many of them in Lyari — thousands of citizens continue to live under the shadow of death. The warnings were clear, but no permanent solution was ever enforced.

Ongoing Rescue Efforts Amid Widespread Grief
Rescue 1122 confirmed that the search and rescue mission entered its second day on Sunday. So far, 19 bodies have been recovered and 19 people pulled out alive. Karachi Mayor Murtaza Wahab stated that six injured have been discharged while three remain under treatment. The operation, now 65% complete, is expected to continue for several more hours.

Karachi Commissioner Shifts Blame to Residents
Visiting the site after 13 hours, Karachi Commissioner Hassan Naqvi held the residents partly responsible, stating they ignored repeated notices and warnings. However, many locals deny receiving any official notice to vacate.

Calls for Accountability as SBCA Faces Scrutiny
The SBCA maintains it had issued evacuation notices and enforcement actions against the collapsed structure, but the gap between policy and action has proved fatal once again. The Sindh Local Government Minister has since suspended relevant SBCA officials and a high-level inquiry committee has been formed to investigate the collapse.

Sindh CM Orders Immediate Action
Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah expressed deep sorrow over the incident, demanding immediate rescue and relief operations. He has also directed authorities to compile a detailed list of all dilapidated structures in Karachi and take urgent measures to prevent another catastrophe.

Recent Close Call in Kharadar
Just days ago, a rooftop water tank collapse in a six-storey Kharadar building caused a partial structural failure. Fortunately, no one was killed — but it was yet another warning that Karachi’s aging buildings are ticking time bombs.

As rescue teams continue digging through rubble in Lyari, one question remains: how many more lives must be lost before the city finally acts to protect its most vulnerable residents?