Chaos revealed, 'accountability still elusive'
The Karachi Commissioner has finalised the official investigative report into the tragic Gul Plaza fire, which will now be submitted to the Chief Minister. The report, compiled with the Additional IG and multiple agencies, outlines how the fire started, spread, and overwhelmed rescue efforts-but crucial questions of responsibility and negligence remain unanswered.
According to sources, while the report outlines the causes of the fire, firefighting efforts, and rescue operations, it does not yet assign responsibility or indicate which officials may have been negligent. The committee collected information from multiple agencies, including the Fire Brigade, SBCA, Rescue 1122, and the Karachi Water & Sewerage Board. Eyewitness accounts and statements from rescue personnel were also incorporated.
The report notes that the fire broke out at 10:15pm, and the Fire Brigade received the first alert at 10:26pm. The first fire tender reportedly arrived 11 minutes later, at 10:37pm, while Deputy Commissioner South, Javed Nabi Khosa, reached the site at 10:30pm. Rescue 1122 personnel arrived at 10:53pm.
Investigators found that the blaze originated on the ground floor, where children were reportedly playing with matches or a lighter inside a flower shop, which ignited the fire. The flames quickly spread, exacerbated by air-conditioning ducts, engulfing the entire plaza. The report confirms 79 deaths, with the majority occurring on the mezzanine floor.
Key details regarding delays in firefighting, obstacles in rescue operations, and other critical accountability issues remain undisclosed. Sources indicate that the report is expected to be officially handed over to the Sindh Chief Minister today (on Thursday).
Families still searching for shadows
Twelve days after the devastating fire at Gul Plaza, families of the missing staged a protest in front of the severely damaged building, expressing anguish and frustration over the delayed identification of their loved ones.
"We have been searching for our family members since day one, facing dead ends everywhere. We just want to know when we will receive their bodies," said one grieving relative. Daily-wage workers affected by the fire also protested outside the Deputy Commissioner's office, appealing for government and philanthropic assistance.
27 of 72 identified as most remains beyond DNA testing
Authorities, however, have warned that identifying nearly 40 victims may be extremely difficult. Of the remains recovered from the site, only samples from four to five individuals are expected to yield DNA results. The Police Surgeon Department and the Citizens Police Liaison Committee (CPLC) have submitted ante-mortem data-including videos, mobile tracking information, clothing, and personal belongings-to the Deputy Commissioner of South District to assist in identification.
Only six bodies were recovered intact, and one additional victim was identified through a national identity card. After over 33 hours of firefighting, rescue teams recovered severely burned remains and transported them to hospitals. Many bodies were so badly charred that even bones had turned to ash, making DNA testing impossible for most victims.
To date, 27 of the 72 confirmed victims have been identified - 20 through DNA testing, six via facial recognition, and one through an ID card. Authorities have recommended that if ante-mortem evidence confirms a person's presence in the plaza, the remains may be handed to families in the presence of witnesses. The final decision rests with the district administration and the government.
Meanwhile, the families continue to demand swift action, desperate for closure and justice after the horrific tragedy at Gul Plaza.