Pakistan’s economic powerhouse, Karachi, suffered a devastating loss when fire gutted the bustling Gul Plaza mall over the weekend. Ignited Saturday night, the uncontrollable blaze took over 24 hours to subdue, killing 15 and leaving 70+ presumed trapped beneath the wreckage.
The outcry is deafening from business owners who survived the ordeal. They accuse fire departments and officials of dithering, despite the Sadar station’s stone-throw distance. ‘Night-long delays turned a spark into annihilation,’ one trader shared with Geo News.
Chronic problems plagued the response: insufficient water supplies cited repeatedly, coupled with M.A. Jinnah Road’s abysmal condition that snarled tanker movements. Criticism targets Sindh leaders and the mayor for systemic failures.
Eyewitness accounts detail terror—smoke suffocating lower levels before fire surged upward. ‘Prompt action would have evacuated everyone safely,’ a young local asserted.
Rescue chief Hasanul Haseeb Khan announced near-total containment at 95%, initiating cooling phases as probes into a possible short circuit proceed. With search ops ongoing, the toll may climb. This fiery calamity spotlights Karachi’s vulnerability, demanding urgent overhauls in safety protocols and infrastructure to protect its trading lifeline.