ISLAMABAD: Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) Pakistan chief Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui has urged Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to constitute an independent and high-powered commission to investigate the Gul Plaza fire incident.
In a letter addressed to the prime minister, Siddiqui proposed that the inquiry body should comprise representatives from various federal institutions, including the FIA, NAB, and NDMA, to ensure transparency and credibility. He also stressed that federal authorities and law enforcement agencies should immediately assume control of rescue and relief efforts, particularly to recover human remains and safeguard victims’ belongings.
The MQM leader further called for the creation of a federal relief and rehabilitation fund aimed at providing financial assistance to the affected families.
According to the letter, more than 12,000 families have been directly impacted by the incident. It noted that even seven days after the fire, several individuals remain unaccounted for, while families are still struggling to retrieve the bodies of their loved ones.
Siddiqui held the Sindh government and local administrations responsible for the loss of lives and property, alleging serious lapses on their part. He also accused the Sindh authorities, Karachi mayor, SBCDA, and other concerned institutions of severe negligence in managing the aftermath of the tragedy.
