- Sindh government-formed committee, led by Karachi Commissioner, starts investigation and to submit its report within 7 days
- Police Surgeon confirms 28 dead, including five women, with 48 DNA samples collected for identification
- Rescue 1122 teams continue operations in the basement and on first and second floors until all missing recovered
- SBCA maintains all building records available, pledges full cooperation with investigationors
- Mayor Wahab reports 65 missing; 1,200 shops affected in ground-plus-three-story plaza
- Governor meets traders, pledges reconstruction and compensation; calls for stricter building enforcement
- KP CM Afridi conveys heartfelt condolences, reaffirming solidarity with Sindh govt, affected people
KARACHI: The death toll from the Gul Plaza fire reached 28 on Tuesday, as the Sindh government-formed committee launched an investigation into the circumstances that led to the devastating blaze at the shopping mall. Lawmakers in the National Assembly meanwhile called for comprehensive reforms in building safety, emergency response, and urban governance to prevent similar tragedies in the future.
On Monday, the Sindh chief secretary constituted a committee headed by Karachi Commissioner Syed Hassan Naqvi and the Karachi Additional Inspector General, directing them to submit a report within seven days.
On Tuesday, a large crowd gathered at the site, with law enforcement creating temporary barriers to prevent people from approaching the rubble, from which smoke was still emanating.
Police Surgeon Dr. Summaiya Syed confirmed the death toll of 28, noting that it included five women, following post-mortem examinations of “fragmentary human remains.” She added that eight bodies had been identified so far, while 48 DNA samples from relatives were being collected for cross-matching.
The probing committee, led by the Karachi Commissioner, held its first meeting on Tuesday, summoning officials from the Sindh Building Control Authority (SBCA), Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) Fire Brigade, Rescue 1122, and the mall owner to provide details.
Karachi Mayor Murtaza Wahab said that based on the KMC’s audit, the SBCA had begun taking action. A letter listing non-compliant buildings was sent to the Association of Builders and Developers (Abad), instructing members to rectify deficiencies within three days. “Immediate action is expected in the interest of public safety and the city at large,” the letter stated.
The fire erupted on Saturday night at the ground-plus-three-story plaza, which housed 1,200 shops across 8,000 square yards.
Karachi South DIG Syed Asad Raza said that out of 75 missing persons, the locations of 38 were confirmed at Gul Plaza through geo-fencing, while the remaining could not yet be verified. DNA samples were sent to the Sindh Forensic DNA and Serology Laboratory at the University of Karachi, and cross-matching was expected to continue for two to three days.
Rescue 1122 spokesperson Hassanul Haseeb Khan said teams had accessed the building’s basement, first, and second floors, where search and rescue operations were ongoing. The spokesperson stressed that operations would continue until all missing persons were recovered. A portion of the nearby Rimpa Plaza was partially affected by heat exposure.
Keamari police stated that merchandise salvaged from the rubble was being moved to the KMC Ground, with contingents deployed for security.
SBCA maintains records, cooperation with inquiry
The SBCA rejected claims that building records were unavailable, terming them “baseless.” It confirmed that all approved records, including sanctioned plans, completion details, and construction documents, were preserved.
Based on KMC’s fire safety audit of various buildings, SBCA has started to take action. Letter with a list of non compliant buildings has been sent to ABAD. Today visit of 6 buildings in Districts East & South is also being undertaken pic.twitter.com/Y0hx5IdywM
— Murtaza Wahab Siddiqui (@murtazawahab1) January 20, 2026
The building, originally constructed in 1979, had a revised plan approved in 1998 and was regularised under the 2001 Amendment Ordinance in 2003. A revised NOC for sale and advertisement was issued in 2005 for 1,102 approved shops across basement, ground, first, second, and third floors.
The SBCA noted that the plaza had multiple staircases and 16 ground-floor exits to ensure safety, asserting full cooperation with the investigation and promising a fact-based report to determine responsibility.
Lawmakers in unison demand urgent reforms after Karachi’s Gul Plaza fire
Lawmakers from across party lines on Tuesday put aside political differences in the National Assembly to condemn the deadly Gul Plaza fire in Karachi and called for urgent reforms in building safety, emergency response, and urban governance during a debate on an adjournment motion addressing the tragedy.
PPP leader Qadir Patel welcomed the newly elected Leader of the Opposition Mahmood Khan Achakzai and praised his call for political unity, noting that his party had long advocated cooperative efforts to address national challenges.
Recalling previous disasters — including the Timber Market and Baldia factory fires — Patel said such tragedies were not isolated events and must be treated with equal seriousness. He expressed solidarity with the affected families, highlighted the government’s past compensation efforts, and cautioned against selective accountability. Rejecting personal allegations, he said he had nothing to hide and stressed that Karachi’s pivotal contribution to the country required sustained attention, effective governance, and justice.
PTI MNA Asad Qaiser urged immediate improvements to Karachi’s roads, water supply, and emergency response systems, calling on both his party and the MQM to ensure the city receives its due share of resources and infrastructure support. He expressed concern over the daily loss of young lives due to open holes, absent alarms, and lack of preventive measures in commercial complexes, noting that the Gul Plaza fire was not just a single-building tragedy but a blow to the city’s business community and public safety framework.
JUI-P MNA Misbah Uddin also congratulated Achakzai, highlighting challenges faced by overseas Pakistanis and urging lawmakers to prioritise issues affecting FATA and broader national concerns. He expressed deep sorrow over the Gul Plaza incident and the human loss it caused.
PPP MNA Asad Alam Niazi described the tragedy as a matter of national grief, stressing that such incidents should never recur. He recounted visiting the site at 10:17 am, noting the initial absence of people and emphasising that the matter demanded collective responsibility, far beyond partisan debate.
MQM-P MNA Syed Waseem Hussain criticised the state’s failure to protect citizens’ fundamental rights, referring to huqooq-ul-ibad, and said neglecting the protection of lives and livelihoods was inexcusable. He regretted that political point-scoring had sometimes overshadowed the incident and questioned whether the response would have been as slow had a high-profile state building been affected. He stressed that the victims were ordinary, tax-paying citizens who fuel the economy, yet emergency response was delayed and inadequate.
PTI MNA Ali Muhammad Khan urged lawmakers not to turn the tragedy into political sparring. Offering prayers for the victims, he called for accountability for any legislative or administrative shortcomings, citing the 1911 New York factory fire, after which comprehensive labour and fire safety laws were enacted. He lamented that similar tragedies in Pakistan, including those in Murree and during floods, had not led to lasting policy frameworks.
Proposing that the Gul Plaza incident be referred to a relevant standing committee, Khan stressed the need for binding legislation on building codes, fire safety regulations, mandatory drills, and enforcement mechanisms, warning that speeches alone would not prevent future disasters.
PPP’s Syeda Shehla Raza highlighted that Sindh is the only province where local governments have completed their tenure, with new and amended local governance laws already introduced. She noted that nine towns in Karachi are currently led by Jamaat-e-Islami, while other provinces and Islamabad have yet to hold local government elections, underscoring the need for systematic governance reforms.
Governor Tessori meets traders, pledges support
Sindh Governor Kamran Tessori met with traders, including Jawed Bilwani, to discuss the impact on businesses. He commended Rafiq Pardesi for pledging to reconstruct the plaza on a cost-to-cost basis.
“We must console the traders’ community while learning lessons from this incident,” the governor said. He appreciated the Pakistan Navy and police for their swift response, and called for an inquiry into the management’s role and negligence in safety protocols.
Tessori also proposed relocating affected traders to an abandoned parking plaza near Empress Market to resume operations.
Jawed Bilwani praised the governor and highlighted Karachi’s community spirit in assisting victims without assigning blame.
KP CM conveys condolences to Sindh
In a letter to Sindh CM Murad Ali Shah, KP CM Sohail Afridi expressed “heartfelt condolences” over the tragedy, mourning the loss of precious lives and the distress caused to families. He affirmed solidarity and support from KP for Sindh during this difficult time.
میں کراچی کے علاقے ایم اے جناح روڈ پر واقع گل پلازہ میں 17 جنوری 2026 کو پیش آنے والے افسوسناک آتشزدگی کے واقعے پر گہرے رنج و غم کا اظہار کرتا ہوں۔
اس المناک سانحے میں قیمتی انسانی جانوں کے ضیاع پر مجھے دلی صدمہ پہنچا ہے۔ میں جاں بحق افراد کے لواحقین سے دلی تعزیت اور ہمدردی کا… pic.twitter.com/kyNibhcIZX
— Sohail Afridi (@SohailAfridiISF) January 20, 2026
Current status: 65 missing, relief efforts underway
Earlier, Mayor Wahab confirmed 65 people remain missing, with 18 bodies identified. Cooling operations continued while rescue teams accessed three key areas of the structure. The provincial inquiry committee led by Commissioner Hassan Naqvi continues to probe the cause of the fire.
CM Murad Shah announced a relief and fire-safety reform package, including Rs10 million compensation for each deceased victim and support for affected shopkeepers through a special committee.
