Islamabad (Web Desk): The devastating fire at Karachi’s Gul Plaza became the focal point of a heated debate in the National Assembly on Tuesday, with Muttahida Qaumi Movement (Pakistan) (MQM-P) leader Farooq Sattar calling it a “national tragedy” and criticizing both the Sindh government and city authorities for negligence and a delayed response.
He asserted that Karachi residents had the right to question the priorities of both provincial and federal authorities.
The blaze, which erupted late Saturday night, has claimed at least 28 lives, while dozens remain missing. The intensity of the discussion led MQM-P lawmakers to tear up agenda papers and demand that routine business be suspended to focus solely on the disaster.
Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar subsequently moved a motion to defer other agenda items, which was approved by Deputy Speaker Ghulam Mustafa Shah.
Sattar highlighted decades of neglect that left Karachi critically short of firefighting resources, noting that the city has been undercounted, underrepresented, and underfunded.
He paid tribute to firefighter Furqan Ali, who lost his life battling the blaze, and insisted that accountability was unavoidable, calling for those responsible to seek public forgiveness. He also renewed calls for stronger local governments, arguing that a metropolis the size of Karachi could not be managed by a chief minister alone.
PPP leader Shehla Raza countered MQM-P’s criticism, stating that ministers did not need to rush to incident sites immediately and that effective emergency management should be the priority. She detailed the official response to the fire, acknowledging traffic-related delays, and stressed that Sindh already had a functioning local government system.
Defence Minister Khawaja Asif echoed calls for empowered local governments, describing it as “humanly impossible” to manage Karachi under the current administrative setup.
“I am not blaming individuals; I am blaming the system,” he said, criticizing the concentration of authority in provincial capitals for weakening governance. Asif added that the spirit of the 18th Amendment had yet to be realized, as meaningful devolution of power to the grassroots level was still lacking.
He argued that real public empowerment required a strong, autonomous local government system.
“Without empowered local governments, there will be no effective fire brigade, no timely emergency response, and no accountability at the neighborhood level,” he said, calling the Gul Plaza tragedy a wake-up call and urging parliament to consider constitutional reforms.
MQM-P lawmaker Wasim Hussain accused political rivals of previous complicity in Karachi’s challenges, including developments connected to Gul Plaza, responding to remarks by PPP’s Abdul Qadir Patel. Patel rejected the allegations and affirmed the Sindh government’s commitment to stabilizing the city and assisting fire victims.
The session began with PTI lawmaker Shehryar Afridi congratulating Mahmood Khan Achakzai on becoming the opposition leader, calling it a proud moment for Balochistan and Pakistan.
Afridi raised concerns over coordination between provincial and federal disaster authorities after the Karachi fire and criticized labeling residents displaced by military operations in merged districts as “internally displaced,” arguing that it undermines human dignity.
He also alleged that tribal areas had been used to channel funds without delivering basic services and called for broader jirga consultations to involve all stakeholders.
The House also witnessed heated exchanges over security operations in Khyber and Waziristan, with Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and Jamiat Ulema-e-slam -Fazl (JUI-F) lawmakers protesting displacement during harsh winter conditions
PTI’s Iqbal Afridi warned that failing to provide relief could spark protests, while former speaker Asad Qaiser accused the federal government of withholding funds owed to Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa under the NFC Award.
Several bills, including a proposed constitutional amendment and institutional legislation, were referred to standing committees before the session was adjourned until 11 am on Wednesday.