Governor Sindh suggests Saddar Parking Plaza as temporary site for Gul Plaza traders

KARACHI: Sindh Governor Kamran Tessori has announced that he will write to the Mayor of Karachi to request the immediate relocation of Gul Plaza businessmen to the Parking Plaza in Saddar. The move is intended to allow shopkeepers to resume their business activities following the devastating fire, ARY News reported.

Addressing a press conference after meeting with members of the business community, the Governor shared a suggestion from Maulana Bashir Farooqi. The proposal suggests that shopkeepers who lost their businesses in the Gul Plaza inferno be moved to the currently underutilized Parking Plaza near Empress Market.

Tessori emphasized that the Mayor should consider this proposal, noting that it is a humanitarian suggestion aimed at providing relief rather than “political point-scoring.”

According to the Governor, it will take approximately six months to a year for these businessmen to normalize their operations after shifting.

He highlighted the capacity of the proposed site, stating that while Gul Plaza covers roughly 100,000 square feet, the Saddar Parking Plaza offers more than 150,000 square feet of space.

“We can visit the Parking Plaza to review the feasibility of shifting the Gul Plaza shopkeepers there,” the Governor stated.

He further mentioned that the business community has also suggested that Gul Plaza be reconstructed on a “cost-to-cost” basis as quickly as possible to ensure long-term recovery.