Muhammed Amin is searching desperately for his brother, Naveed Memon, who remains missing after the devastating Gul Plaza fire in Karachi. The blaze erupted on Saturday evening, engulfing a shopping center that housed about 1,200 shops. So far, authorities have confirmed 27 deaths, with more than 70 people still unaccounted for.
Eyewitnesses say the fire spread with terrifying speed. Moreover, locked exits and heavy crowds made escape nearly impossible. As a result, many shoppers were trapped inside as thick smoke filled the building.
The Gul Plaza fire struck without warning at one of Karachi’s busiest retail hubs. Known for affordable goods, the plaza was packed when flames broke out. Immediately, panic erupted. People rushed toward exits, only to find many doors closed or blocked. Consequently, confusion turned into chaos.
Rehan Faisal, a shop owner, escaped through a side door near his store. “No one knew it would spread so much,” he said. Unfortunately, others weren’t as lucky. Within minutes, the fire consumed floor after floor, leaving little time to react.
Rescue efforts have been slow and dangerous. Dr. Abid Jalaluddin Sheikh, a senior rescue official, explained that the building’s structure is now unstable. Because the intense heat weakened support beams, teams fear a partial collapse. Therefore, search operations have slowed significantly.
Many of the recovered bodies are badly burned, requiring DNA or forensic analysis for identification. Meanwhile, families have gathered near the site, holding photos and waiting for news. Muhammad Qaiser said his wife, sister, and daughter-in-law are all missing. “We do not know what happened to them,” he said, voice breaking.
Haroon described receiving frantic calls from his brother inside the plaza. “He was screaming for help,” Haroon recalled. “Then the line went dead.” Such stories echo across the community, deepening the collective grief.
Public anger is growing rapidly. In response, hundreds have protested at the site, demanding answers. When Karachi Mayor Murtaza Wahab arrived, crowds shouted accusations of negligence. Clearly, many blame the delayed emergency response for worsening the death toll.
Officials say the first fire brigade call came at 22:38—but by then, flames had already reached the upper floors. Nevertheless, Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah has promised a full investigation into both the fire’s cause and the emergency response. Furthermore, lawmakers from multiple parties now call for stricter building codes and mandatory fire drills.
Survivors like Shoaib, who lost consciousness in the smoke but was pulled to safety, cling to hope. Yet uncertainty haunts every family. Muhammed Arif, a local resident, voiced a common frustration: “How long will this continue? How many more must die?”
Ultimately, the Gul Plaza fire has exposed deep flaws in urban safety planning. As Karachi mourns, citizens demand real change—so tragedies like this never happen again.
