KARACHI: Two sisters were killed and a boy suffered injuries when a three-storey building in PIB Colony leaned to a side and some part of it caved in on Sunday evening, police, hospital officials and rescue services said.

The building had developed cracks a few days ago which prompted the family to shift to some other place.

However, on Sunday evening they came to collect a few things when the building leaned towards a side and some part of it collapsed. Residents and rescue workers tried to pull out the injured from the debris.

The boy was recovered immediately and taken to the Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre, where his condition was stated to be out of danger.

A few days ago victims’ family already left the building after it developed cracks

Two bodies of women were also retrieved from the debris. They were identified as two sisters, Fauzia Mushtaq, 41, and Reema Mushtaq, 21.

Additional Police Surgeon Dr Summaiya Syed said the boy suffered minor injuries.

According to East SSP Syed Abdul Rahim Sherazi, the building was located in Ghausia Colony in PIB Colony in a vegetable market.

New Town SHO Pervez Bhutto said that the building was owned by the victims’ brother, Arif Mushtaq, who had a meat shop on its ground floor.

Arif Mushtaq had purchased the building around five years ago when it was single storey. Later on, he constructed two more floors on it.

The building had developed cracks few days ago. Arif’s family was living there.

The family shifted to other place after cracks appeared in the building.

They had taken away their belongings. However, on Sunday afternoon both the sisters came back to take away their remaining things. As they went in, the building collapsed.

The bodies were taken to the Dr Ruth Pfau Civil Hospital Karachi to fulfil medico-legal formalities.

However, the relatives took away the bodies without allowing doctors to conduct the post-mortem examination, Dr Syed added.

Published in Dawn, April 4th, 2022