A massive fire that broke out at Gul Plaza on M.A. Jinnah Road late Saturday night has left Karachi shaken, with authorities confirming the blaze was brought under control after 34 hours. The building remains structurally unsafe, and rescue teams, backed by the Army, Rangers and civil administration, are continuing cautious search operations amid fears of further collapse.
The death toll has risen to 26, while as many as 81 people have been reported missing, according to the latest figures from the missing persons desk at the DC office. DNA sampling has begun to identify victims, with relatives of 18 missing persons already submitting samples.
Three teenage boys from Lyari — Hamza (13), Hassam (15) and Abdus Samad (16) — who worked at shops in Gul Plaza, remain untraced. Abdus Samad’s father collapsed at the scene after learning his son was still missing.
Survivors have revealed alarming safety failures, claiming that 24 of the plaza’s 26 gates were locked after 10pm, leaving only two exits. They said the lack of emergency exits and heavy smoke turned the building into a death trap.
One firefighter, Furqan, lost his life during rescue operations. Karachi Mayor Murtaza Wahab announced that Nazimabad Fire Station will be renamed in his honour, while his widow will be given a job and his children’s education expenses will be covered.
Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah announced Rs10 million compensation for each victim’s family and said relief payments would begin immediately. He also pledged support for traders whose shops were destroyed.
The Sindh Building Control Authority (SBCA) revealed that Gul Plaza had illegal construction, overcrowding, and obstructed exits. Although only four floors and 1,021 shops were approved, the plaza had around 1,200 shops, many built illegally along internal pathways and near exit points.
Rescue operations remain underway with heavy machinery deployed by the Army and Frontier Works Organisation (FWO). Only authorised rescue personnel are being allowed inside the unstable structure.
Authorities have urged families of missing persons to coordinate with the DC office helpline as search and recovery efforts continue.
