Farooq Sattar. PHOTO: ARCHIVE
The Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) on Saturday demanded that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif launch a high-level judicial inquiry into the Gul Plaza tragedy, accusing the Sindh government and Karachi civic authorities of negligence, delays and misleading the public.
At a news conference in Karachi, MQM-P leader Farooq Sattar said the magnitude of the tragedy had raised “serious and alarming questions” about governance and emergency response in the city.
The massive fire, which broke out in Gul Plaza late on January 17 and took almost two days to extinguish, has claimed more than 100 lives, according to MQM-P, while several people remain missing and hundreds of families have been affected.
“This is a tragedy of extremely serious nature. More than 100 people have lost their lives,” Sattar said. “Those who are still missing, who will take responsibility for supporting their families?”
Read: From tragedy to blame, MQM and PPP exchange fire over Karachi governance
He said the families of the victims were demanding the recovery of the bodies from the rubble. “The families say that everything has turned into ashes. The building has collapsed. At least hand over the bodies of our loved ones,” he added.
Sattar claimed that people across the country were questioning the role of the Sindh government and the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation, but Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah was deflecting responsibility. “Questions are asked, but completely different answers are given. The question is simple: How did the fire start?”
He also criticized the Prime Minister and Karachi Mayor Murtaza Wahab for arriving at the scene hours after the fire broke out. “The fire started around 10 or 10:15 p.m. and the prime minister arrived after 10 p.m. The mayor arrived after 11 p.m.,” he said.
He questioned why key officials were giving instructions remotely. “From Islamabad, instructions are given to the provincial local government minister. From Islamabad, requests are made to the deputy mayor. That’s why the criticism intensified,” Sattar said.
He called for accountability and warned that negligence cannot be ignored. “Do not consider our political commitments our weakness. The people of Pakistan will not let you off that easily,” he said.
Sattar expressed concern over fire safety and disaster preparedness in Karachi. “The whole country is in mourning, everyone’s eyes are teary and there is talk of lease issues. Was it written anywhere in the contract that a fire would break out or that it would not be extinguished?”
Read more: Fire Safety Orders Ignored Despite Gul Plaza Tragedy
He acknowledged the firefighters’ efforts but questioned their ability. “There are 25 fire stations in the city. How many have you increased? Over the years, how many fire units have been added?” asked.
He also claimed that most commercial buildings lacked basic security measures. “Out of 275 buildings, 200 did not have adequate fire safety measures. I tell the people of Karachi that more buildings will catch fire,” he warned.
He criticized the provincial response to the disaster. “Where’s your PDMA?” asked.
Sattar also called for scrutiny of land allocations and commercial developments. “There will be questions on land allotment, portion mafia, RJ mall and Arshi mall,” he said.
Concluding his remarks, he accused the Sindh government of having misplaced priorities. “They are busy building a paddle tennis court. They have destroyed parks and turned sports fields into deserted spaces,” he said.
He said the MQM-P had demanded a judicial probe under the Pakistan Commission of Inquiry Act. “From top to bottom, everyone must be held accountable,” Sattar said.
He added that MQM-P coordinator Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui had written to the prime minister requesting the formation of a high-level judicial commission. “Khalid Maqbool has said that NAB and FIA should be included,” Sattar said, adding that ISI, IB, NDMA, State Bank of Pakistan and Pakistan Engineering Council should also be part of the investigation.
Memon counterattacks Sattar
Sindh Chief Minister Sharjeel Inam Memon responded to Sattar’s press conference by saying that no matter how eloquently Sattar speaks, he cannot distort the truth.
Memon said that as mayor of Karachi, Sattar played a direct and indirect role in decisions related to the leasing, regularization and urban planning of Gul Plaza, which laid the foundation for unsafe construction practices.
“These actions were taken even before the 18th Amendment,” Memon said. “The renewal, mutation and lease regularization documents were signed while he was mayor, and the responsibility for urban planning fell on his shoulders.”
Read more: Sindh governor seeks judicial probe into Gul Plaza tragedy
He added that historical records and official documents show that the foundation for illegal constructions and unregulated regularizations in Karachi was laid during Sattar’s tenure. “When violations of the law were regularized and given legal protection, it essentially promoted a culture of unsafe buildings in the city,” he said.
Memon emphasized that the Gul Plaza tragedy was not the result of a single day’s negligence but the logical outcome of decades of bad decisions and administrative failures. “Those who laid the foundation for these erroneous decisions cannot escape questioning today,” he said.
“The people of Karachi deserve the truth, and the truth is that those who legitimized the illegal constructions are morally and politically responsible,” he concluded.
