Hope fades for missing father

55-year-old from Sukkur, who came to visit daughter, missing after Gul Plaza fire

KARACHI:

Six days after the devastating fire at Gul Plaza, search operations continue as families anxiously await news of their missing loved ones. Among them is 55-year-old Athar Sheikh, who had travelled from Sukkur to Karachi to visit his married daughter and has been untraceable since the tragedy.

Speaking to The Express Tribune, his son Saad Sheikh said his father had gone for Eid shopping, first visiting Bolton Market and then heading to Gul Plaza. During the fire, Athar Sheikh managed to make a last call, telling the family, "I am suffocating, can not breathe... do not call me back." The call ended abruptly, and since then, no trace of him has been found.

Rescue teams are continuing to recover human remains from the rubble along MA Jinnah Road, which are being sent to hospitals for identification. Families of the missing have submitted DNA samples at Civil Hospital, hoping for confirmation. Saad Sheikh added that despite repeated attempts, they have received no concrete information, although videos circulating on social media reportedly capture his father's voice inside the building. The family appealed to the Sindh IG and relevant authorities for urgent and effective assistance, holding on to hope that Athar Sheikh may yet be found alive.