KARACHI: The death toll from a five-story building collapse in the southern Pakistani city of Karachi rose to 23 late Saturday, the Sindh Health Department said after rescuers pulled more bodies from the rubble.

The Fotan Mansion residential building, where several families were said to be living, crumbled around 10 am on Friday in the impoverished Lyari neighborhood of the city.

Rescue workers, along with residents of the area, worked through the night to find survivors and bodies after the incident, which has once again laid bare the issue of unsafe housing in Karachi.

“[Total deaths] from the Karachi building collapse have reached 23 now,” the Sindh Health Department said in a message sent to reporters. 

Karachi Mayor Murtaza Wahab said on Saturday morning the rescue operation was still ongoing at the collapse site.

“Rescue operation still continues at Baghdadi Lyari where the building had collapsed yesterday,” Wahab wrote on social media platform X. 

Many of the occupants were members of the low-income Hindu minority community and residents estimated that around 40 people were inside when the building collapsed.

According to the Sindh Building Control Authority (SBCA), Fotan Mansion had been declared unsafe three years ago.

“This building was declared dangerous by the SBCA in 2022 and had been served multiple notices over the years,” SBCA spokesperson Shakeel Dogar told Arab News on Saturday.

“Before the recent rains, public announcements were also made in the area, but unfortunately, no one was willing to vacate.”

Friday’s incident is the latest in a string of deadly building collapses in Karachi.

In February 2020, a five-story building collapsed in Rizvia Society, killing at least 27 people. The following month, another residential structure came down in Gulbahar, claiming 16 lives. In June 2021, a three-story building in Malir collapsed, killing four. And just last year, in August, a building collapse in Qur’angi led to at least three deaths.

Mayor Wahab said on Friday evening that rescue efforts remained the city government’s top priority, with accountability and investigation to follow.

“Once we’re done with the rescue aspect, we will focus on who was responsible for this negligence or omission,” he added.

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) have agreed to strengthen bilateral cooperation in higher education and human resource development, the Pakistani embassy said on Saturday.

The statement came after a meeting between Pakistan’s Ambassador Faisal Niaz Tirmizi and Dr. Abdulrahman bin Abdulmanan Al-Awar, the UAE minister of human resources, higher education and scientific research.

The UAE is home to more than 1.5 million Pakistani expatriates who live and work in the Gulf country and send back more than $5 billion in remittances to the South Asian country annually.

During the meeting, Ambassador Tirmizi highlighted the contributions of the Pakistani community to the UAE’s development and appreciated the Gulf country for fostering an inclusive and enabling environment for expatriates.

“Both sides reviewed ongoing collaboration and explored avenues to further enhance bilateral cooperation in the fields of higher education and human resource development,” the Pakistani embassy said.

“The discussions reflected a shared resolve to work closely on initiatives that benefit students, academic institutions, and professionals from both countries.”

Ambassador Tirmizi reiterated Pakistan’s commitment to strengthening institutional linkages and advancing cooperation in skill development and workforce preparedness.

“Minister Dr. Abdulrahman Al-Awar lauded the longstanding and brotherly relations between the two countries and expressed the UAE’s keen interest in expanding its partnership with Pakistan in mutually beneficial areas,” the Pakistani embassy said.

“He welcomed sustained dialogue and coordination between the relevant authorities of both nations.”