Farooq Sattar. PHOTO: FILE
The Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) on Saturday demanded that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif form a high-level judicial inquiry into the Gul Plaza tragedy, accusing the Sindh government and Karachi’s civic authorities of negligence, delays, and misleading the public.
Addressing a press conference in Karachi, MQM-P leader Farooq Sattar said the scale of the tragedy had raised “serious and alarming questions” about governance and emergency response in the city.
The massive fire, which broke out at Gul Plaza late on January 17 and took nearly two days to extinguish, has claimed more than 100 lives, according to MQM-P, while several people remain missing and hundreds of families have been affected.
“This is a tragedy of an extremely serious nature. More than 100 people have lost their lives,” Sattar said. “Those who are still missing, who will take responsibility for supporting their families?”
Read: From tragedy to blame, MQM and PPP trade fire over Karachi governance
He said families of the victims were demanding the recovery of bodies from the debris. “The families are saying that everything has turned to ashes. The building has collapsed. At least hand over the bodies of our loved ones,” he added.
Sattar claimed people across the country were questioning the role of the Sindh government and the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation, but Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah was deflecting responsibility. “Questions are being asked, but completely different answers are being given. The question is simple. How did the fire start?”
He also criticised the chief minister and Karachi Mayor Murtaza Wahab for arriving at the scene hours after the blaze erupted. “The fire broke out around 10 or 10:15pm, and the chief minister arrived after 22 hours. The mayor reached after 23 hours,” he said.
He questioned why key officials were issuing instructions remotely. “From Islamabad, directions are given to the provincial local government minister. From Islamabad, requests are made to the deputy mayor. This is why criticism intensified,” Sattar said.
Calling for accountability, he warned that negligence could not be ignored. “Do not consider our political compromises our weakness. The people of Pakistan will not let you escape so easily,” he said.
Sattar raised concerns about fire safety and disaster preparedness in Karachi. “The entire country is in mourning, every eye is tearful, and you are talking about lease issues. Was it written anywhere in the lease that a fire would break out or that it would not be extinguished?”
Read More: Fire safety orders ignored despite Gul Plaza tragedy
He acknowledged the fire brigade’s efforts but questioned their capacity. “There are 25 fire stations in the city. How many have you increased? Over the years, how many fire tenders were added?” he asked.
He also claimed that most commercial buildings lacked basic safety measures. “Out of 275 buildings, 200 did not have proper fire safety arrangements. I am telling the people of Karachi that more buildings will catch fire,” he warned.
He criticised the provincial disaster response. “Where is your PDMA?” he asked.
Sattar also called for scrutiny of land allotments and commercial developments. “There will be questions over land allotments, the portion mafia, RJ Mall, and Arshi Shopping Centre,” he said.
Concluding his remarks, he accused the Sindh government of misplaced priorities. “You are busy building a paddle arena. You have destroyed parks and turned sports grounds into deserted spaces,” he said.
He said MQM-P had demanded a judicial inquiry under the Pakistan Commission of Inquiry Act. “From top to bottom, everyone must be held accountable,” Sattar said.
He added that MQM-P Convener Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui had written to the prime minister seeking the formation of a high-level judicial commission. “Khalid Maqbool has said that NAB and FIA should be included,” Sattar said, adding that ISI, IB, NDMA, the State Bank of Pakistan, and the Pakistan Engineering Council should also be part of the probe.
Memon hits back at Sattar
Senior Sindh Minister Sharjeel Inam Memon responded to Sattar’s press conference, saying no matter how eloquent Sattar speaks, he cannot distort the truth.
Memon said that as Karachi mayor, Sattar played a direct and indirect role in decisions related to the Gul Plaza lease, regularisation, and urban planning, which laid the groundwork for unsafe construction practices.
“These actions were taken even before the 18th Amendment,” Memon said. “Documents for lease renewals, mutations, and regularisations were signed while he was mayor, and the responsibility for urban planning rested on his shoulders.”
Read More: Sindh governor seeks judicial inquiry into Gul Plaza tragedy
He added that historical records and official documents show that the foundation for illegal constructions and unregulated regularisations in Karachi was laid during Sattar’s tenure. “When violations of the law were regularised and given legal protection, it essentially promoted a culture of unsafe buildings in the city,” he said.
Memon emphasised that the Gul Plaza tragedy was not the result of a single day’s negligence but the logical outcome of decades of poor decisions and administrative failures. “Those who laid the foundation for these flawed decisions cannot escape questioning today,” he said.
“The people of Karachi deserve the truth, and the truth is that those who legitimised illegal constructions are morally and politically accountable,” he concluded.
