Gul Plaza tragedy: A wonderland burns down into ashes

Gul Plaza has been a world of memories and nostalgia for every child living in Karachi, including me. It took me a while to sink in the fact that this wonderland exists no more.

The fire incident in the plaza didn’t just burn down the businesses. It was the sole centre of trade of memories, toys, clothes, and whatnot. You just imagine any Pinteresty object, and you will definitely find it in Gul Plaza.

I remember as a child, I used to visit Gul Plaza with my cousins, just to get their hands on the RC cars and water guns, and they used to have vast variety of them.

The last I visited this mall was 4 months back, for an urgent shoe shopping, and as always, I was carrying tons of shopping bags back home.

Disturbing footage from the day of the fire showed all the shopkeepers were either trying to save their shops or guiding customers to a safe exit. Many also sent videos where they mentioned that they were struggling to breathe. All this to the grim reality that most of them are now turned into ashes, unrecognisable, turned into fragile bones, even their DNA is impossible to extract. This is the level of pain that is being endured.

Families who came to shop for the upcoming Eid celebrations are now facing an unimaginable loss. The business owners who had been planning for months for this Ramzan season find themselves devastated.

The only sigh of relief was to see that those who were able to safely make out have shifted their businesses online. Those who were managing both took better advantage and started reaching out to their customers for the updates. People, on the other hand, also came out in support, holding up platforms for free for Gul Plaza businesses. People have also offered loans so that they can restart their businesses as Ramzan is just around the corner.

The resilience of Karachiites, however, shines through as they support those impacted by this tragedy, proving that even in the face of despair, a community can come together to rebuild and heal.