Gul Plaza sealed as Sindh cabinet approves Rs10m compensation for each victim

Cabinet okays alternative commercial spaces within two months, plus Rs500,000 immediate support for bills, home costs

KARACHI:

The Sindh cabinet has approved a comprehensive compensation package for the victims of Gul Plaza tragedy. The move is aimed at providing relief to the people affected by the deadly blaze. The cabinet met on Tuesday with Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah in the chair.

The cabinet meeting began with Fateha for the martyrs of the Gul Plaza fire. CM Shah stressed the government's primary duty of ensuring relief to the affected families while also holding those responsible accountable. "There can be no compromise on human life. Relief, justice, and prevention must go hand in hand," he added.

The cabinet expressed profound sorrow over the loss of lives in the Gul Plaza tragedy and approved an extensive relief package for the victims. Each family of the deceased will be compensated with Rs10 million. Affected shopkeepers will be provided with interest-free loans of Rs10 million per shop. A further Rs500,000 will be given to each shopkeeper as immediate support for household and utility expenses.
To enable traders to resume their businesses, the cabinet has also approved the provision of alternative commercial spaces within two months.

Read More: Karachi walls call for federal, military control as tensions rise after Gul Plaza fire

A high-level subcommittee comprising ministers: Sharjeel Inam Memon, Nasir Hussain Shah, Saeed Ghani, and Ziaul Hassan Lanjar, has been formed to review the inquiry report of the tragedy and ensure that justice is served. The inquiry committee, chaired by Karachi Commissioner Hassan Naqvi, has been formed to investigate the causes of the incident.

"No negligence will be tolerated. Those found responsible will face strict action," the chief minister assured.

The cabinet also approved Rs19.116 billion for the immediate execution of several critical road infrastructure projects in Karachi, as well as the reconstruction of key roads linking M-9 to Malir and Main Korangi Road to Khayaban-e-Saadi.

"These projects are essential to easing traffic congestion, improving road safety, and fostering economic activity in the city," said CM Shah, urging the Local Government Department to begin the work without delay.

Moreover, the cabinet approved the revised PC-I for the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) Yellow Line project, raising the total project cost to $620 million. This will cover the cost of electric buses and flyovers, with additional financing from the World Bank. The Yellow Line project is slated for completion by December 31, 2028. The cabinet also approved Rs300 million for the acquisition of land for the Malir Depot as part of the BRT Red Line project, which remains on track for completion by June 2026.

A special committee, headed by Local Government Minister Nasir Hussain Shah, has been formed to review the compensation claims of 53 affectees of the Lyari Expressway, amounting to Rs315 million. While the project falls under federal jurisdiction, the chief minister assured that the provincial government would step in to address the claims if legally validated.

To combat water shortages in Karachi, the cabinet approved the award of the 36-kilometre Dumlottee-DHA water pipeline project to the Frontier Works Organisation (FWO) at a cost of Rs10.55 billion. In a related move, 100 acres of forest land was allocated to the Hyderabad Municipal Corporation for the installation of a 6MGD water filtration plant at Deh Bhelo Miano. This project is expected to alleviate Hyderabad's ongoing water crisis.

The cabinet also approved a two-year extension of the agreement with the Anti-Narcotics Force (ANF) to continue operating three major drug rehabilitation centres in Karachi. A state-of-the-art fruit and vegetable market will be constructed in Larkana at a cost of Rs6.371 billion. The facility, spread over 46 acres, will feature modern cold storage, a restaurant, and one megawatt solar power system.

Also Read: Gul Plaza is an accumulated debris of neglect

The Workers Welfare Board Sindh has been reconstituted with equal representation from employers and workers to ensure transparency in the use of welfare funds. The cabinet also approved the closure of the Sindh Renewable Energy Company (SREC), which was established in 2012 but is now deemed redundant as its functions are being handled by the Energy Department.

The cabinet also approved the appointment of seven non-official members to the Board of Governors of law colleges in Sindh in a move aimed at enhancing governance and oversight in the province's legal education sector. This will strengthen the academic and administrative oversight of law colleges across the province.

The chief minister stressed the urgency of quick execution and quality delivery in all approved projects. "Our priorities are clear: provide relief to the distressed, modernise infrastructure, and uphold transparent governance. These decisions must result in tangible, visible improvements for the people of Sindh," he added.

Search, rescue operation at Gul Plaza completed: Mayor

Mayor Murtaza Wahab announced that the search operation at Gul Plaza has been completed and the affected building sealed. An inquiry committee, led by the Karachi Commissioner, has been formed on the directives of the Sindh chief minister, while an FIR of the incident has also been registered.

Expressing deep sorrow over the tragedy, Wahab said the city administration stands with the victims' families and pledged effective measures to prevent such incidents in the future. He revealed that firefighters used 1.915 million gallons of water to extinguish the blaze.

Also Read: Gul Plaza fire death toll rises to 73

Clarifying the Gul Plaza lease issue, he said the lease was issued during MQM and Jamaat-e-Islami's tenure and the building was regularised in 2003, even though the lease had expired on July 8, 1983, with documentary evidence available. He said the chief minister had already placed all facts on record and anyone making allegations should do so with proof.

Earlier in the day, Wahab, along with the journalists, visited the Hub reservoir, where cleaning of 15MGD tanks is underway for the first time in 40 years. He shared these details during a press conference at the Karachi Water and Sewerage Corporation headquarters on Shahrah-e-Faisal.

Mayor said, Hub Dam has reached full capacity following recent rains and can supply 100 million gallons of water daily to the city for the next three years, adding that water availability may rise to 200MGD after full rehabilitation of the old canal.

He said a new canal at the Hub Dam had been completed in eight months, while work to improve the old canal was underway. Wahab mentioned, talks were initiated with the federal government to increase water supply by 100MGD, though reservoir capacity initially posed a challenge. Currently, two reservoirs of 7.5MGD each are operational, enabling the supply of 15MGD to west and Keamari districts. Repairs of the LSR pumping station will further add up to 4.5MGD to the system.

Four more victims of Gul Plaza tragedy identified

Charred remains of four more Gul Plaza fire victims, including a woman, have been identified, officials said on Tuesday. Police Surgeon Dr Summaiya Syed and Identification Project Head Aamir Hassan confirmed that the remains recovered from the debris of Gul Plaza have been identified as Kausar Parveen, Hussam Muhammad, Muhammad Ashraf, and Muhammad Arif.

So far, a total of 27 bodies and human remains have been identified. Of these, the identities of 20 victims were confirmed through DNA testing conducted at the Sindh Forensic DNA and Serology Laboratory (ICCBS), University of Karachi.

Dr Summaiya further stated that 56 family reference samples have been collected for the identification of 65 individuals reported missing in the Gul Plaza incident.

Gas supply suspended in Gul Plaza area

Gas supply to the Gul Plaza area has remained suspended since the fire broke out at the building, leaving thousands of residents facing severe hardship.

Area residents said the Sui gas supply has been cut off for the past 11 days, forcing households to rely on gas cylinders for daily needs. They said the prolonged suspension has disrupted normal life and added to their financial burden.

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

Residents claimed that more than 10,000 homes in the surrounding locality were affected by the gas outage. Many said they had repeatedly approached the Sui gas company to lodge complaints but were told that supply could not be restored without clearance from the Deputy Commissioner’s office.

“The company officials say gas supply will only be resumed once permission is granted by the DC office,” residents said, urging the authorities to intervene.

The affected residents demanded immediate restoration of gas supply to ease their difficulties, saying families were being displaced and forced to move between relatives’ homes due to the lack of basic utilities.