Sindh Governor Kamran Tessori has urged for a judicial investigation into the tragic Gul Plaza incident in Karachi, Pakistan, where the death toll has reached 67 with 77 individuals still missing. Tessori emphasized the need to identify and promptly punish those accountable for the incident. He criticized the administration for its handling of the fire and aftermath, questioning the responsibility in the tragic event.
Investigative sources revealed that the fire originated at a shop selling artificial flowers, where children were suspected to be playing with matches or a lighter. The stored items caught fire before spreading to the electrical wiring, ruling out an electrical fault as the cause. District South Deputy Commissioner Javed Nabi Khoso reported the rising death toll and ongoing search efforts at the shopping mall, with a completion target set for Friday.
The rescue operation at the Gul Plaza shopping complex, site of the largest fire in Karachi in over a decade, continued for the seventh consecutive day. Concerned women, relatives of the missing, expressed frustration over the slow rescue operations, criticizing the authorities for the delayed progress in clearing the rubble. Protesters demanded swift action to rescue any survivors trapped in the collapsed structure, calling for accountability and justice for the victims.
The Human Rights Council (HRC) of Pakistan staged a protest outside Karachi Press Club, demanding the resignation of Karachi Mayor Murtaza Wahab and legal repercussions for those responsible for the tragic fire incident. HRC Chairman Jamshed Hussain condemned the negligence that led to the loss of lives, emphasizing the need for a thorough investigation to hold the responsible parties accountable. The HRC criticized the inadequate compensation announced by the Sindh government and called for concrete actions against the officials at fault.
