Six dead as makeshift roof collapses during Friday prayers in Karachi mosque

E-Paper | June 23, 2026

KARACHI: At least six people were killed and 10 others injured when the makeshift roof of an under-construction mosque collapsed during Friday prayers, DawnNews reported.

Several others, including children, are feared buried beneath the rubble at Masjid Usman Ghani in Block H of the North Nazimabad neighbourhood.

Rescue workers and worshippers attempt to move the debris after a roof collapsed. ─ DawnNews

The injured have been taken to Ziauddin Hospital and Abbasi Shaheed Hospital. Four are in critical condition.

Eye witnesses said the structure that fell was a makeshift extension to the roof, which was erected to protect worshippers from the scorching heat during day-time prayers. Ceiling fans were also attached to the extension that collapsed, they added.

So far, it is not clear what caused the incident.

Station House Officer (SHO) Hyderi Zulfiqar Hyder said the roof collapsed as the main prayer ended and people were offering supplementary Sunnah prayers.

The mosque was more crowded than usual due to first Friday of Ramazan.

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Pakistan

Imtiaz Ali is a Karachi-based reporter for Dawn with over 25 years of experience in the field. His reporting portfolio encompasses crime, politics, and the provincial legislature, alongside coverage of the courts, government affairs, and the health sector.

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Adil

Jun 10, 2016 03:18pm

Unfortunate incident, may theirs soul rest in peace, ameen.

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Faith

Jun 10, 2016 03:21pm

Inalillah RIP

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Jumz

Jun 10, 2016 03:24pm

Why are safety aspects taken so lightly in Pakistan? This was a safety failure. People who set it up should be taken to task. What if it had happened during the main prayer? More casualties.

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SHAHZ

Jun 10, 2016 03:41pm

unfortunate and very sad!

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PakParinda

Jun 10, 2016 03:48pm

This is sad!

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sssd

Jun 10, 2016 04:01pm

Perhaps this is the only nation where life is so cheap and common sense totally lacking; basic safety measures could have prevented this accident...but then who cares, that is the common attitude and the price is always paid in blood for such criminal neglect.

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divergence

Jun 10, 2016 04:06pm

The mocking incompetence of Sindh Government.

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Daanish

Jun 10, 2016 04:30pm

No one follow the Laws of safety then wonder how we get our rulers. Citizens are as lawless as their rules.

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saihil

Jun 10, 2016 04:33pm

Pathetic yar...RIP

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Syed(Australia)

Jun 10, 2016 04:35pm

Just saying its sad is not going to fix the problem. The people involved in the construction should be brought to book and be punished. For the innocent victims my thoughts and prayers are with their families

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naji

Jun 10, 2016 04:42pm

Every construction site should be covered with Health, Safety and Environmental officer or HSE Inspector). This designation is a person nominated by construction contractor privately., and have enough power to manager site work safety.

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saleemullah

Jun 10, 2016 04:50pm

Very sad and unfortunate incident. All construction work need to be approved by competent authority. safety should be given importance in construction of houses, masjid,shops,etc.

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ripan

Jun 10, 2016 06:53pm

unfortunate incident..poor infrastructure is a problem in whole south asia

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Syed Sharfuddin

Jun 10, 2016 07:05pm

Inna Lillahi wa Inna Ilaihe Rajioon.

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Naxalite

Jun 10, 2016 07:06pm

Very Sad.

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Javed

Jun 10, 2016 07:10pm

Temporary Certificate of Occupancy should not have been issued to the Masjid by the Buildings Department.

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Anwar Saeed, St.Louis, Missouri, USA

Jun 10, 2016 07:28pm

This caused due to human error. Safety in any construction must be implemented. Specially commercial places such as market places, commercial areas must be inspected with qualified building inspectors. This should not happen.

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The End is Near

Jun 10, 2016 08:38pm

Sub-Standard construction material is being used everywhere in Pakistan. A few weeks ago a bridge built by Punjab CM collapsed one month before its inauguration and in January this year a whole factory collapsed in Lahore which claimed 51 innocent lives. But no action has yet been taken against those responsible for the incident. No check and balance, nothing. This once again throws light on the lack of value for human life in our society. PM always goes abroad for first class medical treatment, even for the minor health issues. But the poor dying children of Thar (Pakistan) have no value to survive. Estimated 20000 women die each year in Pakistan because of the poor maternal health services and lack of health faciliities in Pakistan. RIP , those 6 innocents who died today in the mosque roof collapse.

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Abu Ahmad in Silicon Valley

Jun 10, 2016 08:41pm

Hold people who built the structure responsible. Its also about time that workers and their companies should have insurance and bonds to cover in case of such accidents and failures. When Insurance companies will have to pay the claims, victims will get some help but, most importantly, work of companies will become more professional. Companies will have to get licenses and prove their work ability. This is how it is a basic requirement for companies here in California. Make people accountable and make ruling classes and politicians accountable. This is the only way to save Pakistan

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Nazir Ahmed

Jun 10, 2016 08:52pm

Masjid committee must be taken to task.

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Adeel Saleem

Jun 10, 2016 09:53pm

Very tragic, I think it is one of well known Masjid in Karachi?

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ISRA

Jun 10, 2016 10:58pm

@naji : Tottaly agree. There are perhaps no building codes or lack of followups in most such constructions or extensions. The ceiling fans must have got added at later stage after the "makeshift extension", to which the contractors could easily get exonerated. One can find many such makeshift extensions erected across the country and many of those may also have received regular ceiling fans added to completely endanger the load bearing ratio. Need immediate action to prevent any such incident. People responsible for installing those fans should be booked.

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