KARACHI: Recovery operations at the site of the Gul Plaza tragedy entered their ninth day on Sunday, with rescue teams recovering more human remains overnight as authorities moved closer to concluding the search effort.
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The deadly blaze — Karachi’s largest in more than a decade — erupted on January 17 and rapidly engulfed the sprawling Gul Plaza shopping complex, known for its 1,200 family-owned outlets selling wedding attire, toys, crockery and other household goods.
Rescue officials said urban search and rescue teams recovered human remains from the building’s third floor, which were immediately shifted to Civil Hospital for DNA profiling.
According to Rescue 1122, the death toll has risen to 71. The District South deputy commissioner’s office had initially reported 82 missing persons, with 10 to 11 still unaccounted for.
Officials confirmed that 22 victims have so far been identified, including 15 through DNA testing, as the painstaking identification process continues.
District South Deputy Commissioner Javed Nabi Khoso told media that search and recovery work is expected to be completed today, though debris removal at the site will continue. He confirmed that remains recovered late at night were sent for DNA analysis and added that a case has been registered, with investigations underway.
However, Khoso urged restraint, saying it would be premature to speculate on the causes of the incident until the inquiry is completed.
FIR Registered
Meanwhile, police confirmed that a first information report (FIR) has been registered at Nabi Bux Police Station under sections related to negligence and carelessness. The FIR has been filed against unidentified individuals.
Sindh Home Minister Ziaul Hassan Lanjar said authorities were also examining the possibility of sabotage or terrorism, adding that anti-terror provisions would be included if evidence emerges.
Separately, Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) Chairman Dr Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui wrote to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, requesting the formation of a federal inquiry commission into the Gul Plaza tragedy. The party has called for the inclusion of multiple institutions, including the FIA, NAB, NDMA, MI, ISI, Nespak and the State Bank of Pakistan.
Dr Siddiqui also urged the federal government to take over the investigation and relief operations and proposed the establishment of a “relief and rehabilitation fund” to provide financial assistance to victims’ families.
Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah had earlier told the provincial assembly that 88 people were initially reported missing, but after one person returned safely and five duplicate entries were removed, the figure was revised to 82.
Meanwhile, Sindh Governor Kamran Tessori announced he would write to the chief justices of the Supreme Court and Sindh High Court, seeking a judicial inquiry into the incident.
