Lahore technical team probes Gul Plaza as rescue enters ninth day

Building being marked with danger signs as the death toll reaches 73

KARACHI:

A technical team from Lahore arrived at Karachi's Gul Plaza on Sunday to conduct investigations as the rescue operation entered its ninth day. Police and district administration officials accompanied the investigative team, which includes forensic experts, during inspections of various locations within the plaza.

Marking is being carried out at locations where the search process has been completed, the urban search team said. The letter "H" has been marked at various points, indicating danger and the risk of the building collapsing, according to the team.

Read: FIR lodged over deadly Gul Plaza fire; structural safety review underway

Meanwhile, another body has been identified through DNA, according to Amir Hassan, In-Charge of the Citizens Police Liaison Committee Identification Project. The identified person has been named as Abdul Haseeb. So far, 23 bodies have been identified, with 16 identified through DNA.

The remains of two individuals were found late last night, Hassan said, bringing the death toll from the incident to 73.

Just yesterday, police registered a criminal case over the fire, citing negligence and lack of safety measures.

An FIR was registered under Sections 322, 337-H(I), 436 and 427 of the Pakistan Penal Code, according to police. The case was filed with the government as the complainant and the names of unknown persons, as the investigation report is yet to be completed.

The FIR states that severe negligence and carelessness were shown at Gul Plaza, where no safety measures were in place. It says the lights were switched off during the fire, creating difficulties for people inside the building, while several gates were found closed.

Read More: Gul Plaza inferno came after ignored warnings, delayed response

After the FIR, authorities sealed the building. Meanwhile, a technical investigation team formed by the Sindh government, comprising experts from NED University, inspected Gul Plaza.

The team examined the structure of the building, particularly its pillars, to assess its safety.

The team is to submit a report to the Sindh government and the district administration, detailing how long the building can remain standing, whether it requires immediate demolition, or if only certain parts are unsafe.