Gul Plaza fire: Tanveer Pasta says light was switched off as precautionary measure

KARACHI: Gul Plaza Traders Association President Tanveer Pasta has dismissed claims circulating on social media about him, terming them completely baseless.

Speaking to the media in Karachi, Tanveer Pasta said that a slip being shared online in his name is fake and misleading.

He clarified that market entry and exit routes were not blocked at the time of the incident. According to him, the emergency ramp was open and two exit routes from the mosque were also accessible.

Tanveer Pasta confirmed that electricity was switched off after the fire broke out, but stressed that the decision was taken purely as a precautionary measure. He explained that had the power not been disconnected, the fire could have spread through electrical wiring, worsening the situation.

He added that even those who managed to come out safely might not have been able to escape had the electricity remained on, underlining that the step was taken to prevent further danger rather than cause harm.

So far over 60 bodies have been retrieved from the rubble of Gul Plaza.

A massive fire at Gul Plaza on M.A. Jinnah Road late Saturday night, January 17, has left the city in shock, claiming lives and leaving many unaccounted for. While the blaze has now been brought under control, the building remains structurally unstable.

Rescue teams, supported by the Army, Rangers, and civil authorities, continue searching for missing persons, while engineers assess the damaged structure.

Authorities have set up help desks and DNA collection centres to assist in victim identification, and families of the missing are coordinating with officials. The situation remains fluid, with new developments expected throughout the day.