KARACHI: Rescue and search operations continued on Wednesday at Gul Plaza in Karachi following a devastating fire that has claimed at least 28 lives, officials said. Medical authorities confirmed the identification of three additional bodies, raising concerns over safety lapses in the commercial building.
Field Marshal Asim Munir Visits National Police Academy, Reaffirms Support for Police Force
The fire broke out late Saturday night at the ground-plus-three-storey plaza, which housed more than 1,000 shops across an area of approximately 8,000 square yards. Parts of the structure collapsed due to the intensity of the blaze.
According to the Edhi Foundation, three of the 21 previously unidentified bodies at its morgue have now been identified through DNA analysis. The deceased include a 15-year-old girl and two adult men.
On Tuesday, a large number of people gathered near the affected site, prompting law enforcement agencies to erect temporary barricades to restrict access. Smoke was still visible rising from the debris as rescue teams continued their work.
Police Surgeon Dr Summaiya Syed confirmed death toll had reached 28. She added that the victims included at least five women and that post-mortem examinations had been conducted on fragmented human remains recovered from the site.
Meanwhile, the Sindh Building Control Authority (SBCA) rejected reports suggesting that official records of Gul Plaza were missing. In a statement issued a day earlier, the authority termed such claims “baseless and contrary to facts.”
The SBCA stated that all approved records, including sanctioned and completion plans as well as construction details, were preserved and available. According to the authority, the building was originally constructed in 1979, with a revised plan approved in 1998. The project was later regularised in 2003 under the Regularisation Amendment Ordinance 2001, followed by the issuance of a revised no-objection certificate in 2005.
Under the approved plan, Gul Plaza had permission for a total of 1,102 shops across its basement and three floors. The SBCA also maintained that the building was equipped with multiple staircases and 16 emergency exit routes on the ground floor.
However, South Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Asad Raza revealed that 14 of the 16 exits were found closed at the time of the fire, raising serious questions about compliance with safety regulations.
“The SBCA completely rejects any notion of concealing facts or disappearance of records,” the authority said, adding that it would fully cooperate with investigations. A fact-based report would be prepared to determine responsibility for the tragedy, the statement concluded.
