The fire at Gul Plaza is a heartbreaking tragedy that has saddened every Pakistani, including myself. This catastrophe exposes our collective apathy, inadequate safety arrangements, and weak government oversight. Within minutes, the raging fire not only claimed 28 precious lives but also left dozens of families with lifelong trauma, while 85 people are still missing. The fire spread so rapidly that hundreds of people inside the building did not even get a chance to escape due to blocked exits. Fire alarms, emergency exits, firefighting equipment, and trained staff are basic necessities for any commercial building, yet unfortunately at Gul Plaza these facilities were either completely unavailable or existed only on paper.
Gul Plaza was a well-known shopping center in Karachi for people from all walks of life. Initially, the building consisted of two to three floors; however, with the collusion of the administration, a fourth floor was illegally added, constructing more than 1200 shops that were also built on emergency exits, which became a major cause of fatalities. As a member of the business community and as Central President of Business Forum PML (N), I visited the site of the incident the day after the fire along with senior office-bearers of the forum, to express solidarity with the affected traders and condolences to the families of the deceased. The scenes I witnessed were unforgettable and deeply distressing. Although the fire was brought under control with great difficulty after 33 hours, smoke was still rising from the burnt building, half of which had already collapsed, and before my eyes, two charred bodies were pulled out from the rubble. Meanwhile, people standing around the building were searching for their loved ones, hoping for a miracle.
The devastation at Gul Plaza left the affected shopkeepers in a state of shock. They kept asking how they would now support their families. I was told that people trapped under the debris kept calling for help from inside, but no one came to rescue them. This is not the first time that a fire in a commercial plaza, building, or factory in Karachi has claimed precious lives. Many such incidents have occurred in the past, followed by temporary outcry, inquiry committees, and the suspension of a few officials, but no real reforms were implemented. As a result, new tragedies have continued to emerge. Although Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah announced compensation of Rs. 10 million for each deceased victim’s family, in my view, human lives are far more valuable than any Govt compensation.
Karachi is Pakistan’s economic hub and the country’s largest tax-contributing city, paying more than 46 percent of the total national revenue. In 2024-25 alone, Karachi contributed over 3.5 trillion rupees in taxes. The citizens of Karachi are justified in asking where the trillions of rupees they pay in taxes are being spent, and the city can no longer be ignored. For a city with a population of over 25 million, there are only 28 fire stations, whereas at least 200 are needed. Our firefighting system is still outdated and not aligned with modern needs. While some shopping malls in upscale areas like Defence and Clifton have effective firefighting systems, sprinklers, smoke detectors and fire alarms, most shopping centers and high-rise buildings in the city do not comply with fire safety standards. As a result, Karachi is facing a severe fire safety crisis, where 80 percent of buildings and shopping centers lack any effective fire prevention system, and 90 percent do not even have emergency exits. Consequently, millions of citizens live under constant threat every day.
In the Gul Plaza tragedy, not only burn 1200 shops, but the livelihoods of more than 4,000 people associated with them were also destroyed. This disaster raises a critical question: was it merely an accident, or the result of systemic failure? And who is truly responsible for this tragedy? Is it the plaza owner, or also the building control authorities, fire department, municipal institutions, and district administration? In my view, all are responsible. Neither did the management of Gul Plaza adhere to the law, nor did the government ensure the enforcement of safety regulations. When laws exist but are not implemented, when inspections are reduced to bribery, and when the value of a human life is fixed at just one crore rupees, such tragedies become inevitable.
The time has come to move beyond condolence statements and symbolic actions. Comprehensive safety audits of commercial buildings, strict enforcement of fire safety laws, transparent and impartial action against those responsible, and public awareness campaigns have become unavoidable. No amount of sorrow over the Gul Plaza tragedy is enough, as the loss of precious lives can never be compensated. This tragedy serves as a reminder that development is not merely about tall buildings and commercial centers, but also about safeguarding human lives. If we do not change our attitudes and fail to learn lessons from the Gul Plaza tragedy, such disasters will become a part of our daily lives and tomorrow, this fire may engulf another plaza, another factory, or another home.
