Gul Plaza fire: Business community announces three-day mourning

KARACHI: The President of the All Pakistan Anjuman-e-Tajiran Sindh (APATS), Javed Qureshi, has announced a three-day mourning period following the devastating human and financial losses in the horrific Gul Plaza fire, ARY News reported.

The APATS President appealed to the federal and provincial governments to show generosity in their response to the inferno.

He also expressed deep grief over the death of a firefighter who lost his life during the rescue and firefighting operation.

Meanwhile, business community leader Jamil Paracha has demanded that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah provide redress for the losses suffered by traders and the families of the deceased.

Speaking to ARY News, Paracha urged the authorities to intervene, noting that 1,200 shops—supporting approximately 5,000 families—were linked to Gul Plaza.

The business leader also called for the formation of an impartial committee to investigate the cause of the blaze and demanded the reconstruction of the building.

He stated that the fire has incurred losses totalling billions of rupees, though a formal assessment is still pending.

Paracha criticized the emergency response, that fire brigade vehicles arrived an hour after the building was engulfed.

He further questioned how the loss of human lives would be redressed and criticized Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah for visiting the site only after 21 hours.

He also noted that the Mayor of Karachi had yet to visit the scene.