Families protest slow Gul Plaza rescue

On sixth day after devastating fire, families protest calling for immediate action

KARACHI:

Six days after the devastating Gul Plaza fire, the patience of families searching for their missing loved ones has finally run out. Relatives, particularly women from the homes of the missing, gathered near the disaster site to voice their frustration over the slow pace of rescue and recovery operations on Thursday.

Protesting near Gul Plaza, the women sharply criticised the administration and rescue teams, saying they had been wandering helplessly since the fire, seeking their loved ones without receiving any satisfactory answers. They expressed deep frustration at the slow clearing of rubble from collapsed sections of the building, describing the situation as "extremely nerve-wracking."

The protesters, overwhelmed by grief and anger, raised slogans against the authorities on MA Jinnah Road and even attempted to enter the affected building. Police intervened in time to prevent any escalation.

The fire at this major commercial complex had swallowed dozens of lives. By the sixth day, families were still waiting for news of the missing. Women carried photographs of their loved ones to the site, confronting members of the Gul Plaza management committee and demanding immediate completion of the rescue operations. Some were visibly distraught, overwhelmed by grief and exhaustion, as they called for urgent action to save any survivors still trapped under the debris.