A fire that engulfed a shopping mall in Pakistan's largest city, Karachi, has claimed the lives of at least 55 people, officials said on Thursday. The Sindh provincial authorities announced an independent investigation into the tragedy and pledged to take action if negligence is found. This was reported by Arab News, writes UNN.
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The flames erupted late Saturday evening in the three-story commercial building Gul Plaza in Karachi's congested Saddar district and raged for more than 24 hours before being brought under control. Dozens of people are still missing, and rescue teams continue to search the rubble.
Sindh Information Minister Sharjeel Inam Memon stated during a televised broadcast that Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah had formed a committee to investigate the incident, emphasizing that authorities would not speculate on the cause of the fire until the investigation was complete.
To investigate, the Chief Minister has formed a committee empowered to conduct an impartial and independent inquiry. Whatever report is published after the investigation, the government will take appropriate action. If negligence is found, the government will certainly hold those responsible accountable.
Memon added that the committee would examine all aspects of the incident, including the causes of the fire and the organization of rescue operations.
"Every aspect is being thoroughly investigated to find out what happened and why," he said.
Massive fire at Karachi shopping mall: dozens missing and 21 dead19.01.26, 22:59 • [views_5073]
According to AFP, as of today, 55 bodies have been recovered from the fire site, said Javed Nabi Khoso, Deputy Commissioner of Karachi's South District. More than 50 families have already provided DNA samples to help identify the badly charred remains.
Karachi municipal services have intensified debris removal operations with strict adherence to safety regulations, moving the wreckage to a designated site in the Mewa Shah area.
Authorities have put all relevant services on high alert as rain is forecast in the coming days, which could increase risks to the unstable building.
Memon also announced that the provincial government had decided to pay 10 million rupees (approximately $35,720) to each family of those killed in the fire, noting that many victims were breadwinners.
The government went beyond usual practice and announced that the families of those who lost their precious lives would receive 10 million rupees each.
As the publication notes, deadly fires are a recurring problem in Karachi — a city of over 20 million people, where markets and factories often suffer from faulty wiring, overcrowding, illegal construction, and weak enforcement of fire safety regulations. Although such incidents are frequent, a fire of this magnitude is rare.