The death toll from the collapse of a five-storey residential building in Karachi’s Lyari area has climbed to 17, as emergency teams recovered more bodies from the rubble on Saturday. The tragedy has sparked renewed concerns about building safety in Pakistan’s largest city.

Rescue workers have pulled nine injured survivors from the debris so far, but officials fear 25 to 30 more people may still be trapped beneath the wreckage. The building, located in the densely populated Baghdadi area, collapsed early Friday morning. Among the deceased are three women and a child.

Authorities revealed that the decades-old structure had been declared unsafe several years ago. Notices were issued to residents in 2022, 2023, and 2024, but neither evacuations nor enforcement action was taken.

Karachi South Deputy Commissioner Javed Khoso confirmed that each floor had three apartments and housed multiple families. Of the 107 buildings marked dangerous in the district, 21 are considered highly hazardous, and 14 have already been vacated.

Ongoing rescue operations have continued for over 24 hours. Officials estimate it may take another 8–10 hours to complete the efforts. “There are still 22 extremely dangerous buildings in Lyari, and 16 have been vacated,” Khoso told local media.

Karachi Commissioner Syed Hassan Naqvi urged residents of unsafe buildings to relocate immediately. “We cannot forcefully evict people, but we are prioritizing dialogue and coordination,” he said, adding that a meeting with the Sindh Building Control Authority (SBCA) is planned to address the issue of illegal and unsafe constructions.

The tragedy has once again exposed gaps in urban planning, enforcement, and public safety in the city.