KARACHI: Federal Minister for Commerce Jam Kamal Khan, along with FPCCI leadership, on Tuesday visited the Gul Plaza, which has been reduced to ashes by the blaze that erupted in a shop on Saturday night.
He assured the affected traders of all possible support from the federal government for their earliest compensation and rehabilitation.
The Gul Plaza was one of the busiest commercial centres of the city and was famous for the availability of a vast range of products, mostly imported from different countries, at wholesale prices. The mall housed 1200 shops in its basement, ground floor, mezzanine and three floors.
The minister said that as a representative of the federal government, he had come to the site to take account of the ground realities, gather information and proposals from the affected shopkeepers and the business leadership - mainly from Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry, and Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry - so that the federal government could come with a practical and efficient financial package of short-term and long-term measures for the genuine rehabilitation of the victims. This would include re-construction of the shopping mall without unnecessary delay.
“I am here as a federal government representative, a citizen of Karachi and an associate of the business community as the Commerce Minister. I cannot leave the traders alone,” he reassured, adding that he had taken onboard FPCCI, KCCI and other trade bodies to successfully accomplish this big task of the earliest compensation and rehabilitation of the affected traders.
He said that Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif, who is on a foreign visit, was grieved by the Gul Plaza fire incident. He had been in regular contact to get the update and had issued instructions for every possible help from the Federal government and its organizations based in Karachi.
“The prime minister has issued me special directives to show solidarity with Karachi people.”
He said that the main challenge was to provide the affected families with an alternate livelihood by exploring all possible options.
He said that the Sindh government had already made announcements for compensation and rehabilitation. The federal government would also extend all kinds of support to the affectees.
Jam Kamal Khan said that he was scheduled to meet Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah on Wednesday to discuss in detail the issues relating to Gul Plaza inferno.
“I assure you, Federal, Sindh and City governments are standing with you in this difficult time.”
He expressed his serious concern over the big human and material loss in this tragedy.
“All can be compensated and made up with money, but there is no substitute for very precious human life,” he remarked.
He expressed his full sympathy and condolences to the deceased’s families, and prayed for eternal peace to the departed soul and patience to the grieved families.
The Commerce minister emphasised the need for making the local governments financially autonomous and strong, along with more administrative powers to enable them to fulfil their due responsibilities in an efficient manner. The local administration should also be strengthened.
The Federal Minister said that there may be negligence on the part of Gul Plaza market management and the local administration, besides some logistics issues with concerned agencies like fire-brigade. But, he continued, the Sindh government would definitely take due legal action and rectify the lacunas in the system, wherever needed so that no such a mishap occurs in future.
So far, many incidents of fire had occurred in the city, he noted.
He said that instead of depending only to use of water for dousing fire, we would have to shift to modern technology and gadgets.
He noted that the cities, mainly the megacity of Karachi, had developed many infrastructure issues over the last forty years.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2026