Karachi/islamabad: At least seven people were killed on Friday when a five-storey residential building collapsed in the Baghdadi area of Lyari leaving several others trapped under the rubble.

According to rescue sources, 10 people have been pulled out injured - one of them in critical condition. Rescue teams, police, and Rangers reached the scene shortly after the incident and launched relief operations. Rescuers have been using heavy machinery to remove the debris. Local residents are also actively assisting in the rescue efforts.

Rescue officials reported that 10 injured individuals - including three women - have been shifted to the Trauma Centre at Civil Hospital. Hospital authorities have confirmed that one of the injured women is in critical condition.

An Edhi Foundation spokesperson stated that two bodies and five injured people were recovered from the debris. Emergency has been declared at both the Jinnah Hospital and the Civil Hospital.

Eyewitnesses said that several families were living in the building, which was in a dilapidated condition.

The Sindh Building Control Authority (SBCA) revealed that the collapsed structure was 30 years old and had been previously marked unsafe. Several notices had been issued to residents, instructing them to vacate. Officials from the SBCA - including the Director, Deputy Director, and Building Inspectors - have now been suspended.

The SBCA also disclosed that there are 578 unsafe buildings in Karachi, most of which are located in District South.

Karachi Mayor Murtaza Wahab visited the site of the collapsed building in Lyari's Baghdadi area and said that the rescue operation is underway. He stated that Rescue 1122, KPT, and district administration teams are actively participating in the operation.

Wahab mentioned that the rescue operation will take some more time to complete. So far, seven people have been reported dead in the tragic incident, and teams are working to recover those trapped under the rubble.

The mayor vowed that those responsible for this tragic incident will not be spared. He revealed that the SBCA had issued four notices to vacate the affected building, but the residents considered it their personal property and refused to leave.

Karachi Mayor Murtaza Wahab said on X, 'Relief and rescue work is ongoing,'

Meanwhile Sindh Local Government Minister Saeed Ghani said operations against illegal and unsafe buildings in Karachi are ongoing. 'Notices are issued to buildings deemed hazardous, but unfortunately, residents are unwilling to vacate,' he said. He confirmed that a high-level committee has been formed to investigate the Lyari collapse and will submit its findings within three days. Minister Ghani stated that a strict and comprehensive policy regarding unsafe buildings will soon be implemented to help prevent such tragedies and protect human lives. He also directed the Deputy Commissioner and rescue teams to prioritise the extraction of those trapped under the debris.

President Asif Ali Zardari expressed deep sorrow and grief over the tragic building collapse in Karachi. He extended heartfelt condolences to the families of the deceased and prayed for the swift recovery and rehabilitation of the injured.

Prime Minister Mian Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif also expressed grief over the incident and directed that the rescue operation to retrieve those trapped under the debris be expedited. He instructed that all possible medical facilities be provided to the injured.

PM Shehbaz Sharif emphasized the need to formulate a strategy on a priority basis to prevent such accidents in the future.

Sindh Governor Kamran Khan Tessori expressed concern over the collapse and instructed rescue agencies to carry out relief operations. He emphasized that all available resources should be used to pull those trapped under rubble out and to provide immediate medical assistance to the injured.

Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah also took notice of the incident, calling it a deeply tragic event. He directed the authorities to submit an urgent report and ordered the Sindh Building Control Authority to immediately provide details of all deteriorating buildings across the city.