By Harun Nasrullah
London, (The Muslim News): The death toll from a devastating fire at Gul Plaza shopping mall on MA Jinnah Road in Karachi, Pakistan, has risen to 28, as rescue teams continued to search through the charred and unstable structure on Tuesday amid fears the figure could increase further.
The fire broke out late on Saturday night at the multi-storey commercial complex in Karachi’s historic business district and burned for more than 24 hours before being brought under control. Much of the building has since collapsed, forcing authorities to use heavy machinery to clear debris while navigating serious structural risks.
Police surgeon Dr Summaiya Syed said DNA samples had been collected from 14 bodies so far, with six victims formally identified. One body was identified through a national identity card, while samples from 48 family members have been received to assist with the identification of the remaining victims.
“All samples have been sent to the Sindh Forensic DNA Laboratory, while DNA testing is also being carried out at the University of Karachi,” Dr Syed said, adding that additional human remains recovered from the site would be processed on Tuesday.
Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) City Arif Aziz stated that official confirmation of fatalities would only be issued once DNA matching, and all necessary legal formalities were completed. “At present, we can confirm 13 bodies for which the legal process has been finalised,” he told reporters.
According to the latest list issued by the Deputy Commissioner South office, at least 81 people, including women and children, remain unaccounted for, raising concerns that the death toll may rise as search operations progress.
Rescue officials said teams have cleared the ground and first floors of the mall and are continuing operations on the upper levels. Due to darkness and heavy smoke residue inside the building, rescuers are using torches while navigating debris. Human body parts have been recovered, and the search remains ongoing.
During the operation, the fire briefly flared up again on the second floor, prompting firefighters to spray water before bringing it under control. Geo News reported that sections of the building had crumbled, requiring cranes to demolish unstable areas to prevent further collapse.
Karachi Mayor Murtaza Wahab visited the site late at night and directed authorities to complete the rescue operation “at all costs.” He confirmed that all departments of the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) would remain on alert until all missing persons were traced.
On the Mayor’s instructions, additional heavy machinery was deployed, and authorities began removing vehicles trapped on the mall’s roof. Officials said 32 vehicles, including 16 cars, four Suzuki vans, 12 motorcycles, and one rickshaw, had been safely brought down using cranes and returned to their owners.
The SSP confirmed that Gul Plaza had been sealed, with no entry permitted. Traders have been asked to submit names to help identify recovered goods, with 12 names provided so far. All items retrieved from the site are being moved to a KMC ground and will be returned following completion of the required legal procedure.
The building houses around 1,200 shops selling clothing, electrical appliances, cosmetics, and crockery, materials that officials say contributed to the rapid spread and intensity of the fire.
Separately, Karachi Mayor Wahab said the Sindh Building Control Authority had begun acting based on KMC’s fire safety audits of commercial buildings across the city.
Governor proposes relocation for affected traders
Sindh Governor Kamran Tessori has proposed the temporary relocation of traders affected by the fire to a vacant parking plaza near Empress Market. Speaking to traders at the Governor’s House, Tessori said he would formally write to the mayor of Karachi to submit the proposal.
“The business community is nursing wounds to both livelihoods and lives,” the governor said. “It is the responsibility of the government to heal those wounds, not rub salt into them.”
Calling for accountability rather than a blame game, Tessori said the management of Gul Plaza must be examined. “There are more than a thousand shops in one plaza. There is an administrative structure and a president. We must ask how day-to-day affairs were being run,” he said.
He urged traders to submit concrete proposals outlining their needs and stressed that safety must be prioritised. “If any unsafe or potentially deadly commercial building exists or is under construction, it must be stopped,” he said.
While welcoming the Sindh government’s announcement of Rs 10 million in compensation, the governor said the real issue lay in enforcement. “The laws already exist, but there is no implementation.”
Directing the Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry to conduct a city-wide audit of commercial buildings, Tessori warned that emergency exits were routinely blocked by unauthorised stalls. “If panic breaks out tomorrow, where will people escape from?” he asked.
He also criticised YouTubers and social media influencers covering the tragedy. “It is the height of shamelessness to seek views over people’s deaths. Bodies are lying inside, families are crying outside, and people are fighting for views. They should be ashamed,” he said.
[Photo: Rescue workers and firefighters work with heavy machinery to search through the rubble of a burnt building of a multistory shopping plaza following a massive fire in Karachi, on January 20, 2026. At least 26 people were killed More than 80 people are still missing. Photojournalist: Sabir Mazhar/AA]
