NA discusses Gul Plaza fire: Lawmakers demand urgent reforms in LG system
ISLAMABAD: The deadly inferno at Karachi’s Gul Plaza, which killed at least 27 and left 81 missing, ignited a fiery showdown in the National Assembly on Tuesday, as Defence Minister Khawaja Asif and MQM-P lawmakers demanded urgent reforms in the local government system to prevent further catastrophes.
The House suspended its regular business to urgently discuss the deadly fire and its aftermath. The decision followed a motion by Federal Minister for Law Azam Nazir Tarar, calling for the debate on the tragedy.
Taking part in the debate, Asif criticised the absence of fire safety systems in Karachi and emphasised the need for an empowered local government structure.
He argued that the 18th Constitutional Amendment, intended to devolve power to the provinces, had failed to deliver on its promises.
“The people are not reaping the benefits at the grassroots level,” he said, calling for more effective local governance.
Asif also lamented the political infighting that led to the withdrawal of a key amendment aimed at strengthening local government institutions.
He noted that, historically, military regimes had introduced more effective local bodies, which were later undermined by civilian governments.
Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) MNA Farooq Sattar demanded that the Gul Plaza fire be declared a national tragedy.
He highlighted Karachi’s financial contribution, saying, “For 75 years, Karachi has contributed 65 percent of the country’s revenue.”
He urged the formation of an investigative committee and pushed for the activation of the Civil Defence Department, emphasising the city’s urgent need for prioritisation in national policies.
Sattar also called for constitutional amendments to empower local governments, particularly in Karachi, which has been plagued by ineffective governance and infrastructure failures.
Pakistan Peoples Party’s Shehla Raza defended Sindh’s local government system, claiming it was the only province where such a system functioned properly.
She, however, acknowledged issues in the response to the fire, revealing that 24 out of 26 gates of Gul Plaza were closed during the blaze, hampering evacuation efforts.
While offering a pragmatic view on the timing of political reactions, she proposed that it was more important for rescue teams to reach the scene quickly than for provincial leaders to visit the site.
“40 people died in a fire in New Zealand recently. Such things happen,” she remarked, minimising the scale of the tragedy.
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Asad Qaiser slammed the government for failing to fully implement the National Action Plan (NAP), despite political consensus, and criticised the withholding of funds from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
He questioned whether commitments made in past jirgas had been kept, noting that 22 military operations against terrorists in KP had failed to yield results. “Why has terrorism not been eradicated?” he questioned.
He also highlighted the meagre Rs 550 million allocated to KP under the PSDP and called out the federal government for reneging on its promise to allocate 3 percent of NFC funds to the province after FATA’s merger.
He called for a joint parliamentary session to address the worsening security crisis in the region.
Responding to questions, Minister of State for Interior Talal Chaudhry reiterated the federal government’s commitment to counterterrorism efforts, stating that intelligence-based operations were ongoing daily.
Chaudhry also confirmed that Khyber Pakhtunkhwa had received substantial financial assistance under the National Finance Commission (NFC) awards and expressed satisfaction with the continued support for operations in tribal areas.
As the debate unfolded, there were accusations and counter-accusations between political parties over Karachi’s governance and the fire at Gul Plaza.
MQM-P’s Wasim Hussain blamed political rivals for the city’s problems, including issues related to the Plaza.
PPP’s Abdul Qadir Patel rejected the accusations, claiming that the Sindh government was fully committed to stabilising Karachi and addressing the fire’s aftermath.
Meanwhile, PTI’s Shehryar Afridi called for improved coordination between federal and provincial disaster response agencies, criticising the use of the term “internally displaced persons” to describe the victims of military operations in merged districts.
Lawmakers from all political parties called for reforms in building safety, emergency response, and urban governance.
They demanded that the federal and provincial governments to take immediate actions to ensure the safety of citizens, stressing the need for timely measures to prevent such incidents.
In the midst of the debate, two bills were introduced in the National Assembly, including the Constitution (Amendment) Bill, 2026, and the Institute of West Punjab, Sargodha Bill, 2026.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2026