Search at Gul Plaza enters fifth day, 67 bodies recovered so far

KARACHI:

The death toll from the Gul Plaza fire in Karachi rose to 67 on Thursday as rescue teams continued recovery operations for a fifth consecutive day amid fears that more remains may still be buried under the rubble, officials said.

Rescue officials said search and debris removal work continued throughout the day at the partially collapsed and structurally unsafe building. About 80% of the site has now been searched, while heavy debris from nearly 40% of the collapsed portion remains to be cleared.

The blaze, which broke out on Saturday night, destroyed the commercial plaza and left it severely damaged. Rescue workers said human remains were recovered from the rubble during debris removal and were shifted to Civil Hospital Karachi for medico-legal procedures.

Police Surgeon Dr Summaiya Syed said post-mortems of all 67 recovered bodies had been completed by today and DNA samples sent to the relevant laboratory.

“So far, 45 DNA samples have been obtained from bodies and body parts and dispatched to the DNA lab,” she said, adding that six bodies were recovered intact, while one victim was identified through an identity card.

She said the process was being carried out under her supervision on the directives of Sindh Health Minister Dr Azra Fazal Pechuho.

City Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Arif Aziz said 80% of the search operation was completed. “We have also identified two jewellery shops in the collapsed portion of Gul Plaza, and debris is being cleared carefully to carry out further searches,” he added.

Sixteen of the 61 motorcycles parked on the plaza’s rooftop had been removed using cranes. Heavy machinery, cutters and modern equipment are being used to clear debris, including cutting steel reinforcements of pillars and slabs to create access routes from the front of the building.

The South deputy commissioner (DC) visited the site in the morning to review relief operations. He said the first phase focused on areas of the building that had not collapsed and where the structure was still standing.

The second phase of the rescue operation will focus on collapsed debris, using heavy machinery. The DC said extra caution would be required, as locating human remains, identifying them and separating them from rubble was a complex and sensitive process. He added that efforts would be made to carefully recover the bodies and hand them over to their families.

Read: Rescuers discover 30 bodies in single shop in Gul Plaza

Since the incident, families of 80 missing persons have filed reports with the administration.

A group of more than 25 relatives, including women, attempted to enter the building today but were stopped by authorities. The group raised slogans against the Pakistan Peoples Party.

Meanwhile, the Sindh Building Control Authority (SBCA) and the Pakistan Engineering Council visited the site today, where a technical committee declared the building unsafe and recommended that it be demolished after the completion of the rescue operation.

SBCA technical committee member Arif Qasim said Gul Plaza covered an area of 8,124 square yards and comprised 1,102 shops. He maintained that the entire plaza was gutted after a fire broke out on Saturday night, adding that adjacent plazas were also inspected as part of the safety assessment.

Karachi mayor visits families of Gul Plaza victims

Karachi Mayor Murtaza Wahab visited the homes of families affected by the Gul Plaza incident, expressing condolences and pledging support for their rehabilitation. He met the families of victims Rehman, Hisaam and Sarfraz, offering sympathy and expressing deep sorrow over their loss.

“In this difficult time, we stand with the families of the victims,” he said.

Wahab said the loss of human life could not be compensated and vowed continued support until recovery efforts were complete. “There is no substitute for a human life. We will not rest until the complete rehabilitation of the victims,” he said.

The mayor also announced measures to help restore the affected families’ businesses, saying economic recovery was a priority alongside humanitarian assistance.

“The Sindh government will not sit in peace until the victims are fully rehabilitated,” he said. He added that rescue operations were still under way at the site.
“Rescue personnel of the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation are still engaged in the rescue operation,” he said.

Wahab said efforts were being made to ensure that victims’ remains were returned to their families as soon as possible. “Our effort is to hand over the loved ones of the victims to their families at the earliest,” he said.

Tessori calls for lessons, not blame

Sindh Governor Kamran Tessori said tragedies such as the Gul Plaza incident must never be repeated, urging stakeholders to focus on unity rather than blame game.

Speaking at a press conference at Governor House, he said the country needed collective support to move forward. “Instead of reopening old wounds and engaging in blame games, we should support one another and move forward,” he said.

He said Pakistan’s priorities should centre on economic strength, education and security. “Our core slogan should be to make Pakistan economically strong, advance education, and eliminate terrorism from the country. We must give education to children and employment to all,” Tessori said.

Addressing the business community, Tessori said the country’s leadership was actively working to stabilise the economy. “We want to convey to the traders’ community that the prime minister and the field marshal are fully playing their roles in strengthening the country economically,” he said.

Calling for political consensus, he urged all stakeholders to agree on long-term economic policies. “It is essential that all political parties and the business community come together and sign a Charter of Economy, ensuring continuity and stability in economic policies,” he said.