On July 4, 2025, a decades-old six-storey building in Karachi’s Lyari Baghdadi area collapsed, killing 26 people, including nine women, 15 men, and two children, with rescue operations ongoing into the third day. The Sindh Building Control Authority (SBCA) faces criticism for failing to enforce evacuation.
The collapse on Fida Hussain Shaikha Road, housing 40 residents in 20 apartments, left 26 dead and three injured, per Edhi Foundation. Rescue teams, using heavy machinery and Trapped Person Locator devices, recovered bodies sent to Mowach Goth Maheshwari graveyard, with 80% of debris cleared by July 6, per Geo News. Three people may still be trapped, and 50 rickshaws and cash were found and handed to the authorities.
Earlier today, a devastating building collapse in Lyari, Karachi left families in shock and sorrow. SIEHS-1122 was on ground within minutes — standing alongside rescue teams, offering urgent care, and doing everything possible to support the search and recovery efforts. pic.twitter.com/h07IhHgtfW
— Sindh Integrated Emergency & Health Services (@siehspk) July 4, 2025The Sindh Building Control Authority (SBCA) identified a 30-year-old building as unsafe in 2022 and issued multiple evacuation notices, including one on June 25, 2025. SBCA also requested K-Electric and the Water Board to disconnect utilities, but neither agency took action on this request. Karachi currently has 578 dangerous buildings, with 456 located in District South. Deputy Commissioner Javed Khoso reported that residents have vacated only 16 out of Lyari’s 22 high-risk structures.
Read: Lyari Building Collapse Death Toll Rises to 16 in Karachi
Rescue 1122 and Edhi teams, hindered by Muharram-related mobile network shutdowns and narrow lanes, continue operations, expected to last 8–10 more hours. Sindh CM Murad Ali Shah formed a high-level committee to submit a report by July 7, while Governor Kamran Tessori ordered urgent medical.
The collapse in Lyari, one of the deadliest incidents in Karachi since 2017, reveals significant systemic failures in building safety enforcement. According to the 2023 census, this crisis affects 20 million residents. The Sindh Building Control Authority (SBCA) has identified 578 unsafe structures in the area. This tragedy underscores the issues of lax regulations and corruption, sparking increased demands for accountability and influencing urban policy and public trust in Pakistan’s largest city.
