Gul Plaza tragedy: Death toll rises to 73 as identification efforts continue

Nine days after the devastating fire at Gul Plaza in Karachi, the death toll has reached 73, while 82 people remain missing, Aaj News reported on Sunday.

Recovery efforts in the shopping mall on M.A. Jinnah Road faced significant delays today as heavy machinery stood idle and rescue operations were temporarily suspended.

Identification of victims remains a grim challenge. According to Amir Hassan, In-charge of the CPLC Identification Project, one more victim was identified via DNA testing today as Abdul Haseeb. This brings the total number of identified deceased to 23, with 16 of those confirmed through forensic DNA analysis.

Human remains recently recovered from the third floor have been shifted to Civil Hospital for further processing.

Four of a families laid to rest

The city witnessed somber scenes as burials continued for those lost in the blaze. In Delhi Colony, funeral prayers were offered for four members of a single family, including three women, who had gone to the plaza for shopping.

The deceased were identified as 14-year-old Maryam, 35-year-old Misbah Parveen, 32-year-old Muhammad Saad, and 30-year-old Nimra. Two other members of the same family remain missing. Prominent political figures, including MQM’s Farooq Sattar and Munem Zafar, joined a large number of citizens to pay their respects.

Elsewhere, funeral prayers were held for 17-year-old Muhammad Sheesh, led by his father in Garden area, while Athar Sheikh of Sukkur was also laid to rest in a local cemetery.

Investigation and legal action

The Nabi Bux police station has registered an FIR against unidentified persons, citing criminal negligence and a lack of safety protocols as primary causes for the catastrophe. The FIR notes that the building’s exits and lights were reportedly closed when the fire erupted, trapping victims and escalating the loss of life.

Meanwhile, a technical forensic team from Lahore has arrived to assist the local district administration. Experts have begun marking various sections of the building; notably, several areas have been marked with an “H,” indicating a high risk of structural collapse.

While rescue officials state that 90% of the building has been searched, the painstaking process of removing debris from the site continues.