PUBLISHED
July 13, 2025
KARACHI:
The collapse of a five-storey residential building in Lyari’s Baghdadi area on July 12, which claimed at least 27 lives and injured many more, has once again exposed the deep rot in Karachi’s urban governance and disaster preparedness.
Despite official warnings, the building remained occupied. Its eventual collapse met with scenes of chaos, delayed rescue effort, and overwhelmed emergency responders navigating narrow alleys with inadequate equipment.
While volunteers and rescuers did their best under dire circumstances, the tragedy underscored a grim reality: if one crumbling structure can stretch Karachi’s rescue system to its limits, what would happen in the event of a major earthquake or citywide emergency?
Rescue and relief system inadequate
In the event of a major earthquake or any natural disaster causing the collapse of multiple buildings in Karachi, the city’s rescue and relief infrastructure is alarmingly insufficient. At the provincial, district, or municipal level, there is virtually no comprehensive or fully functional disaster management system in place.
Currently, under KMC and Rescue 1122, only two Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) wings are active in Karachi. These wings comprise over 150 trained personnel, but are equipped with limited machinery and resources. There is no district-level disaster management department, and no established communication system between various rescue and relief organizations. This lack of coordination was evident during the recent Lyari tragedy, where delays and mismanagement were reported during rescue operations.
Illegal construction and poor regulations
Mohammad Tauheed, Urban Planner and Director at Karachi Urban Lab (IBA), citing media reports, shared that a five-storey building collapsed in Baghdadi, Lyari, killing 27 people and injuring nine. He highlighted that Karachi has become a jungle of illegal constructions over the past two decades, and these continue unchecked.
The most dangerous trend, he said, is the construction of multi-storey illegal flats on small plots of 40, 60, or 80 square yards, often with multiple cramped portions per floor, some so poorly designed that natural light and ventilation are nonexistent.
The rescue operation at Lyari took more than 50 hours to complete. Tauheed noted that with Karachi’s estimated population nearing 30 million. At the same time, the official census puts it at 20.3 million, the city’s rescue and relief capabilities are dangerously inadequate for its size and density.
A city at seismic risk
Karachi recently experienced mild tremors, causing no damage, but seismologists warn of potential stronger quakes. Should multiple buildings collapse, the absence of a functional disaster response mechanism at the town or district level would spell disaster. The USAR and other facilities are insufficient. Equipment is lacking, staff numbers are low, and any large-scale catastrophe could take days or weeks to manage.
Tauheed recommends that a Town Level Disaster Management Authority (TDMA) be established in each of Karachi’s 25 towns. This would allow a localised and rapid response. Furthermore, all rescue staff must be trained to international standards, and KMC should house a central disaster management unit that coordinates with town authorities.
‘60,000 illegal buildings exist’
Chairman of the Association of Builders and Developers (ABAD), Hassan Bakhshi, estimated that 60,000 illegally constructed buildings exist in Karachi, and more than 600 structures are dangerously dilapidated. He called for stricter laws and effective implementation to halt illegal constructions. He also expressed readiness to support any government initiative to resettle residents from unsafe buildings.
Bakhshi revealed that between 2017 and 2025, Karachi witnessed 12 building collapses, claiming around 150 lives. He identified two major causes: structurally unsafe (dilapidated) buildings and illegal constructions. “When a building is declared unsafe, the plot owner benefits this perverse incentive; this needs to end,” he warned.
He proposed a three-phase action plan, a city-wide structural survey by independent experts, immediate repair of salvageable buildings, and reconstruction of those beyond repair under strict legal obligation. Bakhshi alleged that around 85,000 buildings in Karachi have been illegally extended, blaming the Sindh Building Control Authority (SBCA) and municipal bodies for facilitating the corruption. He warned that the city could face catastrophe if an earthquake were to strike, given the poor quality and unsafe structures. Calling SBCA a “symbol of corruption”, he demanded the authority be split into two departments, engineering and approvals, and urged that cases against negligent builders and officials be heard in anti-terrorism courts due to the life-threatening implications of their actions.
Referring to the Lyari tragedy, ABAD demanded, Rs. 2.5 million in compensation for families of the deceased, Rs. 1 million for those left homeless and an independent investigation, excluding SBCA and municipal officers. ABAD also offered to assist the Sindh government in identifying and rehabilitating unsafe structures. Bakhshi further criticised the Malir Development Authority (MDA) for collecting Rs. 25 billion without handing over plots in 30 years.
Reaffirming ABAD’s commitment, Bakhshi stated, “We’re ready to rebuild all dilapidated buildings in 700 days,” and urged the Sindh government to launch housing schemes similar to those announced in Punjab.
Senior Vice Chairman for ABAD, Syed Afzal Hameed, echoed these concerns, citing administrative negligence at the Lyari collapse site and the unchecked rise of illegal constructions even in cantonment areas. They also raised alarms about Karachi’s long-stalled master plan, land corruption, and judicial inaction, warning that without bold, systemic reforms, the city’s housing crisis will only deepen.
KMC’s response: limited but modernising
Chief Fire and Rescue Officer of KMC, Humayun Khan, stated that after the 2005 Margalla Towers collapse in Islamabad, USAR units were formed nationwide. Karachi’s USAR team, a collaboration between KMC and NDMA, was the first to meet international standards.
The team includes 88 trained personnel, equipped with radars, sensors, and life-detection cameras to locate survivors trapped under rubble. Their headquarters also houses a training school and three sub-units, supported by 200+ volunteers. KMC has five snorkels to rescue people trapped in high-rises and is expanding its services under Mayor Murtaza Wahab.
Rescue 1122: working to international standards
Spokesperson Hassan ul Haseeb of Rescue 1122 Sindh explained that their Urban Search and Rescue wing operates under international UN guidelines. Punjab’s 1122 team was the first in South Asia to be globally certified.
Karachi’s 1122 USAR team includes 55 personnel, led by Commander Dr. Abid Jalaluddin Sheikh, a globally certified trainer. In the Lyari tragedy, his team led operations using advanced tools like search cameras, life detectors, and radar-based systems to detect and rescue trapped individuals. The team also uses cutting tools, hydraulic equipment, and drills for debris removal.
Imran-ul-Haq, head of rescue operations at a local welfare organization, pointed out the lack of coordination among rescue agencies during major disasters. He stressed the need for a centralised communication system between all government and private rescue services, citing the Lyari incident as a prime example of this failure.
Currently, over 1,500 ambulances operate in Karachi, run by a mix of government and private organizations, but without a unified response protocol.
A spokesperson for the Sindh Local Government Department revealed that 588 buildings in Karachi have been officially declared dangerous. However, residents are reluctant to vacate. The government is working on a policy to relocate these residents and increase rescue and relief capabilities across the city.
