Building collapse tragedy in Pakistan claims 27 lives, count continues to rise
In the bustling city of Karachi, Pakistan, another unsafe building has crumbled, taking 27 lives in the impoverished Lyari neighbourhood on Friday morning. The five-story Fotan Mansion, declared unsafe by the Sindh Building Control Authority (SBCA) in 2022, had been served multiple notices over the years.
The building collapse, which occurred around 10 am, has once again highlighted the issue of unsafe housing in Karachi, the largest city by population in Pakistan. This latest tragedy is part of a concerning pattern of building collapses in the city, with Friday's incident being the latest in a series of deadly incidents.
In February 2020, a five-story building collapsed in Rizvia Society, killing at least 27 people. In August 2021, a building collapse in Qur'angi led to at least three deaths. And in March 2020, another residential structure came down in Gulbahar, claiming 16 lives.
Many of the building occupants were members of the low-income Hindu minority community. Despite being on the official unsafe building list and the issuance of eviction notices between 2022 and 2024, evacuation has often not been enforced due to a lack of government intent and residents' inability to relocate.
Rescue operations are being conducted by Pakistan's leading rescue emergency services, including Rescue 1122. However, the situation reflects systemic issues in Karachi related to lax enforcement of building regulations, poor safety standards, and the struggle of low-income families who have nowhere else to live.
Mayor Wahab has stated that rescue efforts remain the city government's top priority, with accountability and investigation to follow. Once the rescue aspect is complete, he plans to focus on who was responsible for the Fotan Mansion's negligence or omission.
Stronger enforcement, infrastructure investment, and the provision of safe housing alternatives are critical to prevent further disasters in the future. The SBCA maintains a list of unsafe buildings and has issued eviction notices to occupants. However, enforcement and preventive evacuation remain problematic, as many unsafe buildings continue to be occupied.
The final search operation at the Fotan Mansion is expected to be completed in the next couple of hours. Dr. Summaiya Syed, a police surgeon, has confirmed that 27 bodies have been received. The incident underscores the urgent need for improved regulatory enforcement and support for vulnerable residents living in hazardous conditions.
- The unfortunate incident at Fotan Mansion, a structurally unsound building in Karachi, has brought to light the pressing issue of unsafe housing, prompting calls for stronger regulation enforcement in art and science news.
- In the realm of general-news, the latest building collapse in Karachi, Pakistan, involving the East neighborhood of Lyari, serves as a grim reminder of the recurring pattern of deadly incidents in the city's crime and justice sector.
- Concurrently, health-and-wellness advocates are expressing concern over the impact of such disasters on the city's low-income Hindu community members, highlighting the need for the provision of safe housing and support services for those at risk in the news realm.
