MQM-P announces plots for Gul Plaza victims' families

Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) Chairman and Federal Education Minister Dr Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui on Sunday announced the allotment of residential plots to the families of those who lost their lives in the Gul Plaza fire tragedy.

The announcement was made at a ceremony held at the Governor House in Karachi to express solidarity with the affected families.

Sindh Governor Kamran Tessori, MQM-P leaders Dr Farooq Sattar and Ali Khurshidi, members of the national and provincial assemblies, office-bearers of the Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry, representatives of the Burns community and others were present.

Addressing the gathering, Dr Siddiqui said Karachi had already endured “every possible injustice” and that forces with no real stake in the city were trying to impose politics of coercion. He said the service being rendered at the Governor House rose above politics and vowed that MQM-P would not allow Karachi to descend into chaos.

Read More: Investigation reveals how Gul Plaza fire became a death trap

Referring to the Gul Plaza tragedy, he said taxpayers were the city’s biggest stakeholders, yet were being “burned alive and buried under their own buildings”. He added that if the Prime Minister House and Chief Minister House failed to provide relief, the Governor House would step in, saying it had now become the “guarantor and trustee” of Karachi.

Governor Tessori said he had witnessed people being burned alive in the fire and lamented the lack of resources and preparedness of the administration to deal with such tragedies. He said compensation was often used to silence bereaved families, while no concrete steps were outlined to prevent similar incidents in the future.

He alleged that less than five per cent of the taxes collected from Karachi were spent on the city and called upon the prime minister and the country’s top military leadership to take a clear decision on Karachi’s future. He said builders had been contacted and free plots would be provided to the victims’ families.

At the same time, Governor Tessori warned India to desist from what he termed involvement in terrorism in Balochistan, saying Pakistan would respond decisively alongside its armed forces. He also condemned the propaganda campaigns on social media regarding Balochistan.

MQM-P leader Dr Farooq Sattar called for the formation of a judicial commission under the chief justice to fix responsibility, saying, “If Karachi survives, Pakistan survives.”

Also Read: Sindh govt orders judicial probe into Gul Plaza tragedy

Business leader Zubair Motiwala said the business community stood with the affected families, urging concrete measures to prevent such incidents. Former KCCI president Javed Bilwani and Saylani Welfare head Maulana Bashir Farooqi also stressed collective responsibility and sustained support for the victims.

Representatives of the Gul Plaza management and civil society groups welcomed the assurance of assistance and called for long-term reforms to ensure safety and accountability in the city.