“Gul Plaza Tragedy: Negligence, Fire, and Devastated Families”
Irfan Ali
A horrific fire that broke out on Saturday night at Gul Plaza in Karachi claimed eighteen human lives.
Although the fire has been brought under control, the cooling process is still ongoing. After the incident, seventy-four people are still missing, and the families of several of them can be seen standing helplessly outside the building.
Gul Plaza in Karachi was engulfed in flames. The raging fire plunged many families into permanent uncertainty.
Shopkeepers stood helpless as, right before their eyes, the lifetime savings they had invested in their businesses were reduced to ashes.
The fire at Gul Plaza has cooled down, but the cooling process and the search for missing persons are still underway.
Karachi Commissioner Hasan Naqvi said that firefighters and rescue teams are trying to enter the building by breaking windows. He added that the building is structurally unsafe and will be demolished.
Karachi Police Chief Azad Khan stated that preliminary investigations have found no evidence of sabotage. He said that no timeframe can be given for the completion of the rescue operation.
The Chief Fire Officer of KMC told the media that the fire has not been completely extinguished. Once the cooling process is complete, efforts to remove the debris will be accelerated.
The Deputy Commissioner South has formed six teams to oversee the rescue operation. Initial CCTV footage of the Gul Plaza fire incident has also emerged.
In another update, the devastating fire that broke out at Gul Plaza on Saturday night has now claimed twenty-three human lives.
Although the fire was extinguished, the cooling process continued even on Monday. So far, seven bodies have been identified.
After the incident, eighty-nine people remain missing, and many of their families continue to stand helplessly outside the building.
To date, twenty-three people have lost their lives.
Gul Plaza once again fell victim to flames.
The intense fire has left several families facing lifelong uncertainty.
Shopkeepers remained helpless as their life’s earnings burned away in front of them.
Although the fire at Gul Plaza has subsided, the cooling process and the search for missing persons continued on Monday.
Commissioner Karachi Hasan Naqvi reiterated that firefighters and rescue teams are attempting to enter by breaking windows. He confirmed that the building is unsafe and will be demolished.
The Chief Fire Officer of KMC said that the fire has not yet been completely extinguished and that debris removal will be expedited once cooling is complete.
Karachi Police Chief Azad Khan again stated that there is no evidence of sabotage in the preliminary investigation and that no timeline can be given for the end of the rescue operation.
Rescue personnel faced difficulties due to crowds gathered around the building. Some individuals even attempted to enter the dilapidated structure.
The Deputy Commissioner South formed six teams to supervise the rescue operation. Initial CCTV footage of the Gul Plaza fire has surfaced.
The horrific fire at Gul Plaza not only claimed human lives but also devastated the livelihoods of Karachi’s traders.
Shops, businesses, and goods worth millions of rupees were reduced to ashes. Details in this report.
In the Gul Plaza tragedy, the dreams and lives of many traders were destroyed.
Samad, a trader whose father had started the business decades ago, has today lost the fruits of his hard work to the flames. His shop and all its contents were completely burned to ashes.
Trader Samad said:
“Everything is gone. Whatever I earned is gone. Our season was about to start, and we had stocked new merchandise. Both winter and summer goods were packed. We were planning that with the start of Shaban, we would pack the winter stock. Everything burned.”
Traders say the fire not only caused financial losses but also cast a dark shadow over the future of many families. Many shopkeepers and families are standing helplessly outside the building, mourning the loss of a lifetime of hard work.
Trader Alauddin said:
“Sir, we had just gone there by car. Documents were kept in cupboards—important papers and documents. When we went upstairs, everything was burned.”
The Gul Plaza fire has written a horrific chapter in the lives of the city’s traders. Dozens of families have lost their lifetime savings and investments.
After the Gul Plaza tragedy, serious revelations have emerged regarding the building’s construction and layout. Chehra Digital obtained the complex plan and construction details of Gul Plaza, raising many questions.
According to documents, the Gul Plaza building was constructed in the 1980s. Records from the Sindh Building Control Authority (SBCA) show that the building was modified in several phases in violation of the approved plan.
According to SBCA, an additional floor was constructed at Gul Plaza in 1998. Shops were built in the parking area, and the rooftop was also converted into a parking space.
In 2003, the additional floor was regularized, and on April 14, 2003, the owner of Gul Plaza obtained the building’s completion certificate.
Documents show that the approved plan allowed only three floors including a basement, and permission was granted for 1,021 shops.
However, according to details obtained by HUM News, 1,200 shops were constructed at Gul Plaza—179 shops more than approved.
SBCA records also reveal that shops were built in corridors and emergency exit routes.
The tragic incident at Gul Plaza has now raised serious questions about the construction system and regulatory oversight.
After the building plans and construction details came to light, the question has intensified:
Was this tragedy merely an accident, or the result of years of negligence?
