The funeral prayers for 20 victims of the Lyari building collapse were held late Saturday night as rescue teams continued searching for survivors under the debris for a third consecutive day. The death toll has now reached 27, with 26 bodies—including nine women, 15 men, and two children—recovered so far. Three injured individuals remain hospitalized, one of whom succumbed to injuries on Sunday. All recovered bodies were transported to Mowach Goth Maheshwari graveyard in Baldia for burial, according to the Edhi Foundation.
Rescuers are using heavy machinery and Trapped Person Locator devices—which detect heartbeats under rubble—to find any remaining survivors. The four-story building, home to over 40 residents across 20 apartments, collapsed on Friday in Karachi’s densely populated Baghdadi area. Authorities confirmed the structure was 30 years old and had been flagged as unsafe long before the disaster.
The Sindh Building Control Authority (SBCA) disclosed that evacuation notices were issued two years ago, with the latest warning sent on June 25, 2025. The SBCA claimed it had also requested K-Electric and the water board to disconnect utilities, but no action was taken. Despite these warnings, residents were not forcibly relocated, raising questions about enforcement failures.
The Sindh government has formed a high-level committee to investigate the collapse, demanding a report by Monday. This incident highlights Karachi’s ongoing struggle with dilapidated infrastructure and lax regulatory oversight. As rescue operations near their end, grieving families demand accountability—and urgent reforms to prevent future tragedies.