KARACHI: The number of lives lost in the tragic Gul Plaza fire rose yet again as two more bodies were recovered from the rubble, taking the death toll to 73.
Police Surgeon Dr Summaiya Syed confirmed to media that the death toll has increased to 73.
She added that so far, 23 deceased individuals have been identified, including 16 through DNA matching, six through facial identification and one because of their CNIC.
Dr Syed stated that all DNA tests were being conducted at the Sindh Forensic DNA and Serology Lab at the University of Karachi.
She shared a list of those identified so far:
- Kashif, son of Younus
- Aamir, son of Sulaiman
- Faraz, son of Anas
- Farooq, son of Anwar
- Furqan, son of Shoukat
- Mohammad Ali, son of Haji Habib
- Tanveer, son of Abdul Kaleem
- Mohammad Sharoz, son of Muhammad Iqbal
- Mohammad Athar, son of Shoukat Ali
- Sarfaraz, son of Noor Muhammad
- Mohammad Hanif, son of Abdul Ghani
- Misbah, daughter of Irfan
- Kausar Parveen, wife of Irfan
- Mohammad Saad, son of Muhammad Irfan
- Mohammad Ramzan, son of Muhammad Ali
- Mohammad Usman, son of Gul Faraz Khan
- Mohammad Rizwan, son of Abdul Hafeez
- Marium Wafa, daughter of Noor Ahmed
- Mohammad Arif, son of Muhammad Rafiq
- Mohammad Shees, son of Muhammad Haroon
- Churchill, son of Nadeem Masih
- Mohammad Rafiq, son of Anwar Ali
- Abdul Haseeb, son of Abdul Waheed
The deadly inferno, which erupted on the night of January 17 at the mall and took nearly two days to be fully extinguished, has so far claimed at least 73 lives and left over 1,100 shops in ruins. Over a week later, efforts to scour through the debris for the remains of the dead are still underway.
Rescue 1122 Chief Operating Officer (COO) Dr Abid Jalal Shaikh told media that the search operation was in the final phase and would likely be completed on Sunday night.
He pointed out that five per cent of the basement was yet to be searched, which was under debris.
The Rescue 1122 COO said that the operation was halted briefly as the district administration arranged a visit from forensic experts, who collected samples.
The search efforts were resumed when the experts left the premises.
In a first information report (FIR) of the incident, dated January 23, the Karachi police said the fire was an “outcome of negligence and carelessness”.
The case was registered against unknown persons as the police have not nominated anyone in the case.
Funerals held in Karachi, Sukkur
On Sunday afternoon, the funeral prayers of four individuals of a family — out of six who had come to Gul Plaza for shopping when the fire erupted — were offered at Eidgah Ground in Delhi Colony.
Saad, Kausar, Mariam and Misbah were among those identified, while two remained missing.
Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan’s (MQM-P) Dr Farooq Sattar, Jamaat-i-Islami’s Monem Zafar and PPP’s Syed Najmi Alam were among several politicians who attended the prayers.
Separately, the funeral prayer of one of the victims, Shees, was held near Kashti Chowk in the Garden area. It was also attended by residents and political leaders.
Meanwhile, Sukkur Mayor Barrister Arsalan Islam Sheikh attended the funeral of Mohammad Athar, a resident of Sukkur who lost his life in the incident.
According to the state-run APP, Athar, a father of two sons and two daughters, had gone to Gul Plaza to purchase necessary items for arranging Taraweeh prayers during Ramazan.
The Sukkur mayor announced that a special fund has been established to support the bereaved family, providing them with financial assistance.
‘I just want the body of my child’
Speaking to the media, grieving families recalled details of their near and dear ones still missing.
Among them was the mother of Imran Ibrahim, a married man who resided in Lyari’s Naya Abad area.
“I am coming to Gul Plaza daily, but being pushed away. I don’t want anything, I just want the body of my child,” said the grieving mother.
She said her son had been working at a crockery shop for the last three years.
Recalling events of the incident, the mother said she spoke to her son at around 10pm, who said he was working overtime and would return home at 2am.
She said all family members were asleep, assuming that her son might have returned, but they came to know in the morning that a huge fire had erupted at Gul Plaza.
The mother lamented that she is asked to go home when she visits Civil Hospital Karachi, and no one informs her about her, so when she comes to Gul Plaza.
Meanwhile, the father of another missing man, namely Hafiz Arif, told the media that he and family members have been visiting Gul Plaza for the last nine days, but no one has responded to their plight.
The father, a resident of Godhra Colony in the New Karachi area, wondered what steps the government was taking.
Sharing harrowing details of his son’s last call to him and his mother, the aggrieved father said Arif was uttering words, “Please Abu, Ami, (father, mother) save my life, as I cannot comprehend anything.”
The father recalled that they asked their son to recite the Kalma (declaration of faith).
He added that when they reached Gul Plaza on the night of January 17, they saw that fire had spread throughout the entire building.
“We would leave the place if any sign of our son was given, even remains,” said the grieving father.
Arif was the father of two children, including a 20-day-old son.
Governor visits bereaved family
Sindh Governor Kamran Tessori also paid a visit to the bereaved family of Aftab, where he announced that he would sponsor the education for all four of his children.
Tessori further said that Khizar Tahneel, a builder who was accompanying him, had announced a plot for the family of each deceased person.
“It has been seven days today, but his brother’s body has not been found,” the governor said, referring to Aftab.
Addressing the Sindh government, he said, “You are having them make rounds to get the DNA report from so and so place, and the death certificate from so and so department. [Instead,] make a counter there.”
He urged the administration to deliver such documents at the doorsteps of the affected families.
Tessori raised questions about why the bodies were “not being recovered” and why DNA reports and death certificates were “not being issued”.
“Do we have the power or administration? Give it to us, then see how the city shines,” he said.
The governor wondered why the closed doors of Gul Plaza were not broken, noting that machinery was available to “demolish buildings” when needed.
Tessori calls for judicial commission
Tessori called for a judicial commission comprising Karachi Mayor Murtaza Wahab, MPAs and others.
“If he is not at fault, I will hug the mayor,” he quipped.
“I am not saying anyone deliberately sparked the fire. I am only saying that fix responsibility for whose mistake or incapability it was, or who was inadequately equipped, and take them to justice.”
The MQM-P leader assailed the PPP-led Sindh government for terming questions and concerns raised over the fire as “politics”.
“Their aim is not to talk about it, as if what has happened has happened, leave it behind and wait for the next incident. And then again they will say ‘do not do politics on it’,” Tessori said.
He remarked, “Your statements reflect pride. Your statements show power, that no one can do anything to us.”
The governor also denied he had a protocol accompanying him when he visited Gul Plaza after finding out about the fire. “Be afraid of that day when I will bring out the suitcases filled with evidence,” he said.
Separately, speaking at the convocation of a seminary on late Saturday night, Tessori announced the launch of a free fire-safety training programme at the Governor’s House.
He said all associations and market organisations may contact the Governor’s House to benefit from this initiative.
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