Karrachi: Gul Plaza fire death toll rises to 71 as search operation enters 'final stages'

Karachi (Web Desk): Sindh Governor Kamran Khan Tessori has called for a judicial investigation into the deadly Gul Plaza fire as the number of confirmed fatalities climbed to 71, with 77 people still untraced.

Speaking at a press briefing on Friday, the governor said he would approach the chief justices of the Supreme Court (SC) and the Sindh High Court (SHC), seeking an independent inquiry into the tragedy. He stressed that those found responsible must be identified and punished swiftly, warning that delays would only deepen public mistrust.

Tessori criticized the Sindh government, saying the provincial administration could not wash its hands of the disaster.

He questioned the conduct of officials during the emergency and in its aftermath, noting that those expected to manage the crisis were absent when their presence was most urgently required.

Referring to media reports, Tessori said that water tankers were delayed after getting stuck in traffic near Guru Mandir, hampering firefighting efforts.

He said citizens pay taxes expecting protection and efficient services, not negligence, adding that such incidents would continue unless accountability was enforced.

Separately, officials confirmed that the death toll from the massive Gul Plaza fire has reached 67 while 77 are still missing as the search and rescue operations entered their seventh day on Friday.

Deputy Commissioner South Javed Nabi Khoso, confirming the death toll and number of the missing, stated that operation was nearing completion and likely to conclude later in the day.

Meanwhile, Police Surgeon Dr. Samia Syed said post-mortem examinations of all recovered victims have been completed. She added that 16 victims have been identified to date, including eight through DNA analysis.

The fire erupted on Saturday at Gul Plaza, a multi-storey commercial building at on MA Jinnah Road, located along one of Karachi’s busiest arteries in the historic business district.

Firefighters battled the flames for more than 24 hours before finally bringing the blaze under control. The plaza contains around 1,200 shops selling items such as garments, electrical appliances, cosmetics and crockery, and officials said the presence of highly combustible goods contributed significantly to the speed and intensity of the fire.