KARACHI: As the search and rescue operation at Karachi’s Gul Plaza entered fifth day with the death toll climbing to 31 on Wednesday, District South Deputy Commissioner Javed Nabi Khoso said that the building would not be demolished as long as even one person remains missing.
Speaking to the media, DC Khoso said that 86 people more missing in the aftermath of the blaze and added, “when everything is complete, the entire building will be demolished”.
The official noted that location of 39 missing people were traced back to the shopping centre, while 17 bodies recovered from the site are yet to be identified. The DC said 11 bodies had been identified so far.
The port city’s biggest fire in over a decade started late on Saturday at Gul Plaza, which houses 1,200 shops in a multi-storey complex spread across an area larger than a football field.
The blaze in Karachi’s historic centre raged for more than 24 hours before it was extinguished.
Inaccessible areas
Expanding on the search operation, DC Khoso stated today that there are parts of the building that rescuers haven’t been able to access so far.
The rescue work, according to the official, was being carried out both manually and with machines, and debris was being removed from the collapsed sections of the building.
Noting that there was still smoke and heat inside the damaged structure, the DC said that the cooling process was underway.
“Search [for victims, survivors] has been carried out in areas which were accessible.”
“There’s no haste [in rescue operation] as it’s an issue of human lives, and the operation is being carried out while catering to [relevant] technicalities,” he added.
Stressing that efforts were being made to identify the recovered bodies as soon as possible, the DC said that some of the names in the missing individuals’ list are repetitive, and the matter is being looked into.
Meanwhile, speaking to the media, KMC Fire Officer Zafar Khan said that there are neither any emergency exits nor fire extinguishers in the building.
“When the information was initially received [of fire], three fire tenders were dispatched simultaneously; however, the scale of the blaze was large, and road [leading to the incident site] was narrow,” the official added.
The fire officer further highlighted that the rescue operation was affected due to the shopkeepers’ chaos, as each of them wanted the fire at their own shop to be doused.
Noting that one part of the building has been cleared and the two others remain, Khan said that efforts will be made to rescue people buried under the rubble.
The debris from the part of the building that has collapsed will also be searched for bodies, he added.
Rimpa Plaza sealed
Furthermore, DC Khoso said that the Rimpa Plaza, which is adjacent to the Gul Plaza, has been temporarily sealed, and it will only be possible to declare the building safe or otherwise after the report of the Sindh Building Control Authority (SBCA).
Notice issued by the SBCA to Rimpa Plaza — Geo News
Notice issued by the SBCA to Rimpa Plaza — Geo News
Building blueprint/map of the Rimpa Plaza, along with other relevant documentation, has also been sought from the SBCA, he added.
“It has been observed that, due to an unfortunate fire incident at Gul Plaza, several portions of the said structure have collapsed.
During the course of this incident, a part of the collapsed structure fell onto the ramp area of the subject building, resulting in damage to its structural columns,” reads the SCBA notice.
It added that upon inspection, the affected portion of Rimpa Plaza’s structure is unsafe and dangerous, posing a serious threat to human life and property.
The SBCA directed the plaza’s management to immediately stop the use of the damaged and dangerous portion of the structure.
It directed that all unsafe structural elements of Rimpa Plaza be removed, with necessary repair and strengthening works carried out strictly under the supervision of a qualified structural engineer, in compliance with applicable building laws and regulations.
The authority emphasised that no part of the affected building may be used or occupied until it is officially declared safe.
The SBCA warned that failure to comply with these instructions would result in legal action under the Sindh Building Control Ordinance, 1979, without further notice.
Safety audit issue
Sindh Local Government Minister Nasir Hussain Shah has said that a report about the fire safety audit of Karachi buildings conducted in January 2024 was submitted to Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah on January 19, 2026.
The audit was conducted by Fire Department and the KMC in line with the directions of Karachi Mayor Murtaza Wahab. The audit identified 266 buildings that failed to meet the requirements as prescribed under the fire safety regulations.
Speaking on Geo News’ programme “Aaj Shahzeb Khanzada Kay Sath”, the LG minister said that CM Murad expressed displeasure over the prolonged delay in submitting the audit report.
The CM has directed the installation of fire alarms in all the buildings, he added. The minister said that they were in close contact with the Association of Builders and Developers (Abad).
