Death toll from Pakistan building collapse rises to 14
The Fotan Mansion residential building, where several families were said to be living, crumbled shortly around 10am on Friday in the impoverished Lyari neighborhood of the city.
Rescue workers, along with residents of the area, continued their operation to find survivors and bodies through the night, once again laying bare the issue of unsafe housing in Karachi.
'So far, we have received 14 bodies at the medico-legal section, including those of 12- and 13-year-old children,' Dr. Summayia Syed, the Karachi police surgeon, told Arab News on Saturday morning.
Many of the occupants were members of the low-income Hindu minority community and residents estimated that around 40 people were inside when the building collapsed.
According to the Sindh Building Control Authority (SBCA), Fotan Mansion had been declared unsafe as far back as 2012.
'This building was declared dangerous by the SBCA in 2012 and had been served multiple notices over the years,' SBCA spokesperson Shakeel Dogar told Arab News. 'Before the recent rains, public announcements were also made in the area, but unfortunately, no one was willing to vacate.'
Friday's incident is the latest in a string of deadly building collapses in Karachi.
In February 2020, a five-storey building collapsed in Rizvia Society, killing at least 27 people. The following month, another residential structure came down in Gulbahar, claiming 16 lives. In June 2021, a three-storey building in Malir collapsed, killing four. And just last year, in August, a building collapse in Qur'angi led to at least three deaths.
Karachi Mayor Murtaza Wahab said on Friday evening that rescue efforts remained their top priority, with accountability and investigation to follow.
'Once we're done with the rescue aspect, we will focus on who was responsible for this negligence or omission,' he added.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Arab News
14 hours ago
- Arab News
Minister orders probe into killing of barking deer on Islamabad's Margalla Hills
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan's Minister for Climate Change and Environmental Coordination Dr. Musadik Malik has taken notice of the killing of an endangered barking deer on Islamabad's Margalla Hills and ordered a probe into the incident, the Press Information Department (PID) said on Saturday. Barking deer, also known as Indian muntjac, are found in isolated populations within Margalla Hills National Park, Khanpur Range and Lathrar near the Pakistani capital of Islamabad. They are considered endangered in Pakistan due to their restricted range and declining population. A disturbing video circulating on social media this week showed three men slaughtering the rare animal on the roadside and has sparked public anger and calls to investigate the incident. Climate Change and Environmental Coordination Minister Malik condemned the hunting and killing of wildlife in protected areas, according to a PID statement. 'Such acts of cruelty and disregard for conservation laws are unacceptable and will not be tolerated,' the minister, who has sought a report from authorities on the incident, was quoted as saying. Separately, the Islamabad Wildlife Management Board (IWMB) said it had filed a complaint with police, seeking action against the ones involved in the incident for violating the Islamabad Nature Conservation and Wildlife Management Act. 'Barking deer is a protected animal under Schedule 1 of the act,' the IWMB said on X. 'A request has been made for action under sections 12.4(a) and 16.1(a) of the Nature Act 2024.' The board said a violation of the relevant section of the law is punishable by a fine of Rs1 million ($3,523) and imprisonment for a term of up to one year. Pakistan has witnessed frequent incidents of violation of wildlife laws. An escaped pet lion chased a woman and two children down a busy street in Pakistan's Lahore, police said Friday, with dramatic footage showing the big cat leaping a wall before pouncing on them. All three were taken to hospital but were not in a critical condition. Keeping exotic animals, especially big cats, as pets has long been seen as a sign of privilege and power in Punjab, the most populous province of the country. Police said they had arrested three men. 'The suspects fled from the spot, taking the lion with them. They were arrested within 12 hours of the incident,' the office of the Deputy Inspector General Operations in Lahore said. The lion, an 11-month-old male, has been confiscated by police and sent to a wildlife park.
Arab News
a day ago
- Arab News
Three militants killed in ‘encounter' in Pakistan's volatile northwest — police
KARACHI: Three Pakistani Taliban militants were killed in an 'encounter' with police and counter-terrorism department (CTD) personnel in Pakistan's northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) province, the CTD said on Saturday. CTD officials from KP's Bannu district conducted a raid in Lakki Marwat along with local police on intelligence report about the presence of militants, according to a CTD statement. It resulted into a shootout with militants which left three members of the Pakistani Taliban's Tipu Gul group dead, whereas officials seized three Kalashnikovs and hundreds of rounds from the site. 'Bannu CTD wanted the deceased terrorists for their involvement in IED (improvised explosive device) blasts, attacks on police and other serious offenses,' the CTD statement said. Pakistan has struggled to contain a surge in militancy in KP since a fragile truce between the Pakistani Taliban, or the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), and Islamabad broke down in late 2022. The TTP and other militant groups have frequently targeted security forces convoys and check-posts, besides targeted killings and kidnappings of law enforcers and government officials in the region in recent months. Bannu has seen a number of attacks on security forces, while a number of policemen have been killed in targeted killings in Lakki Marwat. Islamabad accuses India of backing militant groups and Afghanistan of allowing the use of its soil for attacks against Pakistan. Kabul and New Delhi deny the allegation.
Arab News
2 days ago
- Arab News
Death toll from Pakistan building collapse rises to 14
KARACHI: The death toll from a five-storey building collapse in the southern Pakistani city of Karachi rose to 14 on Saturday, officials said, after rescuers pulled three more bodies from the rubble overnight. The Fotan Mansion residential building, where several families were said to be living, crumbled shortly around 10am on Friday in the impoverished Lyari neighborhood of the city. Rescue workers, along with residents of the area, continued their operation to find survivors and bodies through the night, once again laying bare the issue of unsafe housing in Karachi. 'So far, we have received 14 bodies at the medico-legal section, including those of 12- and 13-year-old children,' Dr. Summayia Syed, the Karachi police surgeon, told Arab News on Saturday morning. Many of the occupants were members of the low-income Hindu minority community and residents estimated that around 40 people were inside when the building collapsed. According to the Sindh Building Control Authority (SBCA), Fotan Mansion had been declared unsafe as far back as 2012. 'This building was declared dangerous by the SBCA in 2012 and had been served multiple notices over the years,' SBCA spokesperson Shakeel Dogar told Arab News. 'Before the recent rains, public announcements were also made in the area, but unfortunately, no one was willing to vacate.' Friday's incident is the latest in a string of deadly building collapses in Karachi. In February 2020, a five-storey building collapsed in Rizvia Society, killing at least 27 people. The following month, another residential structure came down in Gulbahar, claiming 16 lives. In June 2021, a three-storey building in Malir collapsed, killing four. And just last year, in August, a building collapse in Qur'angi led to at least three deaths. Karachi Mayor Murtaza Wahab said on Friday evening that rescue efforts remained their top priority, with accountability and investigation to follow. 'Once we're done with the rescue aspect, we will focus on who was responsible for this negligence or omission,' he added.
