KARACHI: As the death toll rose to 27, the three-day rescue operation to find survivors and retrieve bodies from the rubble of a five-storey building that collapsed in Lyari last week has been completed, officials said on Monday.

Among the deceased were 15 men, 10 women, one teenage boy and one infant girl. Of the injured, one woman was in critical condition and was admitted to the Dr Ruth Pfau Civil Hospital Karachi (CHK) for treatment, while 12 others were discharged after receiving first aid. Of the 27 victims, 20 belonged to the Maheshwari community.

“Rescue operations, which began on Friday morning, concluded on Sunday evening,” said Rescue-1122 spokesperson Hassaan ul Haseeb Khan.

He said no further casualties were found, confirming that the total number of fatalities remained at 27. All bodies had earlier been recovered and sent to the CHK for medico-legal formalities.

The spokesperson said that the team used the same high-tech equipment that was used during the recent earthquake in Turkey. Devices such as life detectors enabled them to rescue several individuals with only minor injuries. Without this technology, the use of heavy machinery might have caused damage to the bodies.

He added that over 100 personnel took part in the rescue effort over the course of three days, working in different shifts.

‘Rs1m compensation termed insufficient’

Commenting on the incident, Sandeep Maheshwari, a local resident and human rights activist, told Dawn that 20 of the 27 victims were members of the Maheshwari community. He noted that all were working-class individuals. He said three nearby buildings, also home to many members of the community, had been evacuated without any alternative accommodation being provided.

Mr Maheshwari termed the Sindh government’s announcement of Rs1 million in compensation as “insufficient” and criticised the rescue operations, claiming they focused more on “removal of debris” than on “saving lives”.

He added that the government now planned to demolish 56 “dangerous’ buildings” in Lyari, creating fear and uncertainty among residents over whether they would be offered alternative housing.

Published in Dawn, July 8th, 2025