Gul Plaza fire: CECA chief expresses grief over tragic loss of human lives

KARACHI: Chairman of the Currency Exchange Companies Association, Malik Muhammad Bostan, expressed deep grief and sorrow over the tragic loss of precious human lives and massive financial damage caused by the devastating fire at Gul Plaza. He stated that the financial and human losses resulting from the fire at the Gul Plaza shopping center constitute a major tragedy. The affected shopkeepers had established their businesses through years of hard work, which were destroyed in the blink of an eye.

He emphasized that the government must take immediate measures to restore the businesses of the affected shopkeepers, and the Chief Minister of Sindh should ensure that those responsible for this incident are given the strictest possible punishments.

Malik Muhammad Bostan said that failure to implement fire safety laws has become a serious crime, and the Gul Plaza tragedy is a direct consequence of this negligence.

He added that no amount of condemnation is sufficient for the tragic fire incident at Gul Plaza, as the loss of life and property is irreparable. He urged both the federal and provincial governments to immediately compensate the affected traders for their losses.

He further stated that this tragedy was not merely an accident, but the result of years of negligence by certain institutions, poor planning, and a deteriorating urban infrastructure.

He described the incident as a grave failure of the city administration, relevant authorities, and the fire safety system.

Malik Bostan said that although firefighters made every effort to fulfil their duties and one firefighter embraced martyrdom, a serious question remains: was water even available to the fire brigade to extinguish the fire?

He remarked that nearly 80 years have passed since the creation of Pakistan, yet the country still suffers from a shortage of basic resources. In the city, water is available at a price through tankers, but there is no water at fire stations, which is a matter of grave concern.

Expressing solidarity with the traders affected by the Gul Plaza tragedy, Malik Muhammad Bostan prayed for the forgiveness of the deceased and said that the association stands shoulder to shoulder with the bereaved families in their time of grief.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2026