According to AFP, the housing block reported that it was once plagued by poor Riari district in Karachi after 10am on Friday and considered one of Pakistan’s most dangerous areas.
Abid Jalaluddin Shaikh, who heads the government’s 1122 rescue squad on the scene, said the operation continued “uninterrupted” into the night.
“It can take 8-12 hours to complete,” he said.
Police officer Samiaya Sayed said the death toll on Saturday morning was half that of women at Karachi Hospital where the bodies were received, and 13 people were injured.
Senior police officer Arif Aziz said up to 100 people lived in the building.
All six of Jumho Maheshwari’s family, 70, were in his apartment on the ground floor when they left for work early in the morning.
“I have nothing left for me now. All my family is locked up, and all I can do is pray for their safe recovery,” he said Friday afternoon.
Another resident, Maya Sham Zi, said her brother’s family was also trapped under the tile rub.
“It’s a tragedy for us. The world has changed for our families,” she said.
MA/PR