1st LD Writethru: 5 killed, 14 injured in SW Pakistan mosque collapse

At least five people were killed and 14 others injured when roof of an under construction mosque collapsed in Pakistan's southern port city of Karachi on Friday, local media and officials said.

Laeeq Ahmad, administrator of Karachi, said that the people were offering Friday prayers in Usman Ghani mosque of the city when it's roof collapsed.

He did not reveal the reason of the collapse, but local media reports said that the roof of the mosque, which was still under construction, could not bear the weight of large number of people, praying over it, and collapsed.

Eye witnesses said there were more people in the mosque located in North Nazimabad area of Karachi, the capital city of the country's south Sindh province, than usual due to the holy month of Ramadan.

The injured people including a large number of kids were shifted to a nearby hospital where at least four of them are said to be in critical condition.

Rescue teams have shifted the injured people to the hospital and kicked off combing the debris of the collapsed building for any stranded people inside.

The Chief Minister Sindh Syed Qaim Ali Shah took notice of the incident and sought report of the incident from commissioner Karachi. Endit