The inferno that swept through Gul Plaza in Karachi this weekend was not a bolt from the blue, but the grim and predictable result of prolonged neglect, regulatory apathy and institutional failure.
As flames tore through the commercial building in Saddar, killing at least 21 people and leaving many others missing or injured, Karachi was forced to confront a reality it has refused to address for decades: this city does not take fire safety seriously – and its people are paying the price.
The shock has been nationwide, but in Karachi the reaction has been painfully familiar. There is sadness, outrage and disbelief closely followed by a weary sense of inevitability. For those who live and work here, tragedies like this feel less like accidents and more like delayed consequences.
Gul Plaza was a busy, thriving marketplace where hundreds of people worked daily amidst shops filled with clothes, plastics, cosmetics and other flammable goods. Like so many commercial buildings in the city, it operated on the assumption that disaster would not strike. That assumption proved fatal. While initial indications point to an electrical short like the spark, it was the environment — crowded, poorly designed and largely unregulated — that allowed the fire to grow unchecked and deadly.
As smoke quickly filled the structure, escape became nearly impossible. Narrow passageways turned into choke points, exits were inaccessible or inadequately marked, and basic security systems did not provide any meaningful protection. If fire alarms or sprinklers were present, they offered no effective warning or suppression.
Many of those trapped inside had no clear path to safety. Firefighters arrived to confront an already raging blaze battling flames in punishing conditions, hampered by traffic jams, restricted access and the dangerous layout of the building. By the time the fire was contained, lives had already been lost and livelihoods destroyed.
Karachi has been here before. Industrial fires, market infernos and building collapses characterize the city’s recent history. Each incident follows the same script: condolences are issued, committees are formed, compensation is announced, and then attention shifts elsewhere.
Structural reform is delayed, enforcement weakens again, and unsafe buildings continue to function as if nothing had happened. Gul Plaza is not an anomaly; it is another entry in a long and shameful record.
Underlying this cycle is a deeply rooted culture of disregard. Fire safety rules exist in theory, but are rarely applied with rigor. Buildings are approved without thorough inspections and, once in operation, are repeatedly altered to maximize commercial space at the expense of safety.
Electrical networks are overloaded, emergency exits are sacrificed for storage or display, and hazardous materials are tightly packed in confined spaces. When inspections do take place, they are often treated as procedural exercises rather than life-saving interventions.
The city’s emergency response capacity provides little security. Karachi’s fire service is overstretched, under-resourced and ill-equipped for a city of this size and complexity. Fire stations are inadequately distributed, response times are undermined by congestion and interventions, and much of the equipment is outdated.
Firefighters are routinely sent into dangerous situations with limited protective equipment and inadequate training for large commercial or high-rise fires. Expecting them to compensate for decades of urban mismanagement is neither reasonable nor fair.
Poor urban planning further magnifies the danger. Commercial districts like Saddar are filled beyond capacity, with roads narrowed by illegal constructions, vendors and uncontrolled development. Emergency access is treated as a luxury rather than a necessity. Under such conditions, even a small fire can escalate into a mass casualty within minutes.
None of this is inevitable. Around the world, cities with comparable densities and risk profiles have reduced fire-related deaths through strict enforcement, professional oversight, and political will. Karachi can do the same, but only if it chooses to value human life over expediency and profit. Fire safety must be treated as a central civic responsibility, not an optional supplement to urban growth.
Commercial buildings must be forced to meet contemporary safety standards in practice, not just in documentation. Functional detection systems, working sprinklers, easily accessible exits and fire-resistant building materials should be non-negotiable. Inspections must be carried out regularly by independent bodies and violations must have real consequences, including closure where warranted. No building should be allowed to operate if it poses a known risk to human life.
At the same time, there is a need for serious investment in fire and rescue services. Expanding the number of fire stations, upgrading equipment, improving water supply infrastructure and providing specialized training are essential steps for a city that continues to grow vertically and commercially. Emergency vehicles must be prioritized for passage, and urban planning must ensure access during crises.
Public awareness is equally critical. Building owners, shop owners and workers must be trained in fire prevention and preparedness. Regular exercises should become routine rather than symbolic gestures. A safety culture cannot be imposed from above alone; it must be reinforced through shared responsibility.
Most importantly, accountability must extend beyond rhetoric. Investigations into the Gul Plaza fire must be transparent, their findings made public and responsibility clearly assigned. Whether negligence lies with private owners, regulators or public officials, it must be addressed openly. Without consequences, there will be no deterrence—and without deterrence, this cycle will continue.
The Gul Plaza fire should plague Karachi’s collective conscience. It stands as a reminder that disasters are often man-made, spawned by indifference, ignored warnings and compromised standards. Those who lost their lives deserved protection. Those who remain deserve reassurance that their city will finally learn from this loss.
If Karachi continues to treat each tragedy as an isolated event rather than a symptom of systemic failure, the next fire is only a matter of time. The knowledge to prevent such disasters already exists. What remains in doubt is whether the decision does so.
The writer is a journalist based in Karachi. He tweets/posts @omar_quraishi and can be contacted at: [email protected]
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this piece are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect Pakinomist.tv’s editorial policy.
Originally published in The News
