Save Karachi

[ghazi52]

Locked exits, panic and desperate calls for help: Survivors tell of mall fire horror​

Riaz Sohail, Zubair Khan and Qaisar Kamran
BBC Urdu

AFP via Getty Images

Dozens of people are still missing after Gul Plaza caught fire on Saturday evening
Muhammed Amin is beside himself with grief and despair.

His brother, Naveed Memon, was inside Gul Plaza when a massive fire ripped through the densely-packed shopping centre in Pakistan's commercial capital, Karachi.

Like dozens of others, he still hasn't been found.

"What should I tell my mother when I go home? What should I tell my nieces?" asks Amin.

"My nieces are crying for their father - they are asking me why he is late to come home. What should I tell them? How can I tell them that their father is gone?"

Housing an estimated 1,200 shops across a basement, mezzanine and three floors, Gul Plaza was a wholesale market that offered a wide range of cheaply-priced products, including wedding wear, toys, decorations, bed sheets, artificial flowers and baby clothes. The city's residents would frequent it in droves, particularly ahead of festivals, weddings and other important occasions.

What started the fire is still unknown.

But witnesses say the speed at which it spread, a lack of working fire exits and the density of shoppers and stalls crammed into the building exacerbated the disaster.

 

[ghazi52]

‘Karachi needs around 200 to 250 fire stations’​

Recorder Report
January 24, 2026



KARACHI: President of Pakistan Business Group (Sindh Region), Convener FPCCI Energy Standing Committee, and Senior Vice Chairman PPDA, Malik Khuda Bakhsh has said that Karachi’s population has now reached approximately 40 million, and according to international standards, the city requires at least 200 to 250 fire stations.

However, in reality, only 12 central fire stations are operational, and including temporary setups under roads and bridges, the total number is just 28. Karachi currently needs 15,000 to 20,000 firefighters, but only 930 firefighters are available.

On average, one firefighter is responsible for the safety of about 1,000 people, which is deeply concerning.

 

[ghazi52]

This letter is a historical correspondence between Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah and Mir Bande Ali Talpur regarding the crisis of the Sindh ministry.

In the 1940s, Sindh was the victim of political instability in its provincial government, where ministries kept changing time and again and again.

Differences between local leaders were common.

Quaid-e-Azam — who was the visionary leader of the All India Muslim League — guided and advised Mir Bande Ali Talpur.

He emphasized prioritizing unity, responsible government and the welfare of the people over personal and group interests.

 

[Distant_Observer]

This is considered part of Karachi city centre and not far from the sea. This should be a coastal and tourist paradise.

What have PPP done with this city?

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[Distant_Observer]

Why can't Karachi have an area that looks like this?

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They should reclaim and remodel the coastal area and make it into a tourist and entertainment hub.

 

[hydrabadi_arab]

Why can't Karachi have an area that looks like this?

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They should reclaim and remodel the coastal area and make it into a tourist and entertainment hub.

Forget Karachi. Not even Islamabad/Lahore have anything like that.

 

[Mighty_Dragon_Strike]

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I just want to ask the presenter one simple question.

The city you are talking about is probably the biggest migration hub in the world, driven indirectly by economics (difference here is, migrants are driven to change to return risk dynamic to risk-return!).

The majority of its population came as they believed they would earn more there. So tell me, if that city were to become a separate province, would its people somehow “shake the foundations” of the remaining provinces?
(problem here is, presenter would entirely deny, such a possibility exists!)

And can the presenter even ask such a question with a straight face?


Because migration into Karachi did not happen once, it happens every ten years.

So what exactly is the logic here? Are we supposed to create a new province every time a new wave of migrants arrives?

I dont get this much upset after viewing octopus energy bills, people like him and Shabbar zaidi and all alike, kill my enthusiasm!

I wish I had died, before listening their trash talks!



whats the point, if one pays more taxes, if the whole return to risk dynamic is superfluous, in fact, it will create de-stabilization and will destroy local currency

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[Mighty_Dragon_Strike]

@El Sidd , please have a look at the above post!

 

[Mighty_Dragon_Strike]

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speaker has clearly lost his touch with the 'reality'!

now, the question is, what exists in his mind!

i found his speech, very parasitic by nature, these are dual intention people, I'd ask Karachiites to separates themselves from these parasitic seths, if are to grow

 

[Mighty_Dragon_Strike]

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what a deluded and sad individual

hope lost on him!

people like him, virtually ensure, death of credit system and give birth to religious extremism

 

[El Sidd]

@El Sidd , please have a look at the above post!

Believe it or not but i still value my time enough to not watch these buffoons. Would rather watch vultures clean a carcus.

 

[Mighty_Dragon_Strike]

For someone who claims to know so much, the best solution he can muster is: “Give me Karachi’s finances.”

now, cat is out of the bag, it is all about money!

these are the same people who, dont give jobs and if they do, they dont pay well and blackmail employees

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[Distant_Observer]

Another humiliation for Karachi.

Is this policing effective enough for a city like Karachi?

When is enough is enough? There needs to be intervention in the governance of this city ASAP.

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[RescueRanger]

Why can't Karachi have an area that looks like this?

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They should reclaim and remodel the coastal area and make it into a tourist and entertainment hub.

Because you need nani to make it happen.

 

[Distant_Observer]

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This is Fallujah 2003, looks exactly like Karachi.