Famous Biryani Spot Sealed in Karachi

KARACHI: The Assistant Commissioner (AC) of Saddar, alongside police, raided Hashoo Centre and sealed approximately 200 shops after discovering severe safety lapses in the building, ARY News reported.

AC Saddar Rana Safiyan and law enforcement sealed all shops on the building’s first floor, including a renowned biryani outlet, due to a lack of fire safety arrangements.

Authorities noted that the biryani shop was operating with three heavy-duty gas cylinders, posing a significant risk.

Speaking to the media, the AC stated that a formal notice had been served to the building management a week ago, warning them to implement safety measures.

However, upon inspection today, no improvements had been made.

He further informed the press that the building’s walkways were obstructed and illegal compressor work was being carried out.

He highlighted the presence of hazardous materials, including gas cylinders and chemical thinners, without any protective protocols.

Despite the seven-day grace period, the management failed to act, leaving authorities with no choice but to seal the premises due to inadequate safety equipment.

The government has initiated building inspection all across the city after deadly Gul Plaza fire which claimed more than  70 precious lives including women and children and loss of billion of rupees.

On the night of Saturday, January 17, a massive fire erupted at Gul Plaza on M.A. Jinnah Road, engulfing the commercial hub in flames and trapping dozens inside. The blaze was brought under control after more than 32 hours, exposing serious weaknesses in the emergency response system. The building was declared structurally unsafe at the time, as rescue teams — supported by the Army, Rangers, and civil authorities — carried out search operations for missing persons. Families coordinated with authorities at help desks and DNA collection centres, while engineers conducted damage assessments.