KARACHI: Police Surgeon Dr. Samia Syed has said that some of those who died in the Gul Plaza fire disaster remain unidentified, raising concerns that victims may include people whose families are still unaware of their fate, ARY News reported.
According to reports, the Police Surgeon’s Office in Karachi has received a report regarding an unidentified victim from the Gul Plaza fire incident. With this latest development, the death toll from the blaze has risen to 74.
Dr. Samia Syed said that a positive DNA result has been received from the Sindh Forensic DNA Laboratory. However, no matching reference sample has been submitted so far.
She explained that this indicates some of the victims who lost their lives in Gul Plaza have not yet been reported missing. There is also a possibility that the DNA belongs to someone from outside Karachi or even from another city.
The police surgeon urged families who have not yet submitted DNA reference samples to come forward as soon as possible. She said samples can be submitted at the Police Surgeon’s Office between 9am and 5pm.
Dr. Samia Syed clarified that DNA analysis alone cannot determine a victim’s age or gender, making reference samples essential for identification. She appealed to the relatives of missing persons to cooperate promptly so the victims can be identified and returned to their families.
Gul Plaza Fire
On the night of Saturday, January 17, a massive fire erupted at Gul Plaza on M.A. Jinnah Road, Karachi, engulfing the commercial hub in flames and trapping dozens inside.
The blaze was brought under control after more than 32 hours, revealing the fragility of the emergency response system that struggled to manage the disaster. The building remains structurally unstable, as rescue teams—supported by the Army, Rangers, and civil authorities—continue searching for missing persons.
Families are coordinating with authorities at help desks and DNA collection centres, while engineers assess the damaged structure.