KARACHI: The judicial commission investigating the devastating fire at Gul Plaza recorded testimonies from two shopkeepers who survived the tragedy that claimed multiple lives and exposed serious gaps in emergency preparedness.
The fire erupted late on the night of January 17 at the commercial building located on M.A. Jinnah Road. The inferno burned for more than 32 hours before being extinguished, raising questions about safety arrangements and response efforts.
Survivor accounts
Muhammad Junaid, who operated a shop on the mezzanine floor, told the commission he first noticed smoke around 10:15pm while closing his business. He said he waited briefly before leaving the plaza around 11:15pm with two others, exiting through a passage near the bathrooms.
According to Junaid, thick smoke made it nearly impossible to locate a clear escape route. He said he lost consciousness shortly after exiting the building and was later transported to hospital in an ambulance operated by the Edhi Foundation.
He further testified that no evacuation announcement was made and claimed he did not witness any active rescue efforts by the management or emergency responders while he was inside.
Another survivor, Ali Haider, stated that he saw smoke on the ground floor as he was shutting his shop and initially exited through the rear of the building. After stepping outside and noticing flames on the mezzanine level, he returned to his shop around 10:30pm, where he said only smoke was visible at that time.
Haider told the commission that within minutes the fire intensified and reached his shop, which contained easily combustible goods such as suitcases. He said two suitcases caught fire and exploded, after which he lost consciousness. He later regained awareness in a hospital but was unsure who had transported him.
He also claimed that most doors of the plaza were shut, except one or two, and said he did not observe any fire brigade vehicles or rescue teams during his attempts to escape.
Plaza administration questioned
Earlier in the proceedings, Tanveer Pasta, president of the Gul Plaza Association, appeared before the commission for questioning.
When asked about operating hours, Pasta said the plaza typically closes between 10:30pm and 10:45pm on regular days, and between 10:30pm and 11:00pm on Saturdays. He added that no regulatory authority had formally imposed fixed closing times.
Regarding gate closures, he stated that the process begins with Gate No. 1 around 10:30pm and takes about 20 minutes to complete. On Saturdays, gates start closing around 10:45pm, while the ramp is shut at approximately 11:30pm.
Addressing questions about surveillance, Pasta informed the commission that some DVR devices were recovered from the debris after the building’s collapse. He said around 280 CCTV cameras had been installed across the plaza, including units connected to a security room in the basement.
He also stated that the main corridors measured between six and eight feet in width, while mezzanine-level corridors were approximately ten feet wide. Pasta confirmed that the building housed 1,153 leased shops but clarified that he was not the original constructor of the structure.
The inquiry commission continues its investigation to determine responsibility and identify lapses that contributed to the scale of the disaster.
