Farooq Sattar. PHOTO: FILE
The Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) on Saturday demanded that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif form a high-level judicial inquiry into the Gul Plaza tragedy, accusing the Sindh government and Karachi’s civil authorities of negligence, delays and misleading the public.
Addressing a press conference in Karachi, MQM-P leader Farooq Sattar said the scale of the tragedy had raised “serious and alarming questions” about governance and emergency preparedness in the city.
The massive fire that broke out at Gul Plaza late on January 17 and took nearly two days to put out has claimed more than 100 lives, according to the 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 providing for their families?”
Read: From tragedy to guilt, MQM and PPP trade fire over Karachi government
He said the families of the victims demanded the recovery of bodies from the debris. “The families say everything has turned to 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 deflected responsibility. “Questions are asked, but completely different answers are given. The question is simple. How did the fire start?”
He also criticized the Chief Minister and Karachi Mayor Murtaza Wahab for arriving at the scene hours after the fire broke out. “The fire broke out around 10 am or 10:15 pm and the chief minister arrived after 22 hours. The mayor reached after 23 hours,” he said.
He questioned why central officials were issuing instructions remotely. “From Islamabad, directions are given to the local minister in the province. From Islamabad, requests are sent to the deputy mayor. That is why the criticism intensified,” Sattar said.
He called for accountability and warned that negligence could not be ignored. “Don’t consider our political compromises as our weakness. The people of Pakistan will not let you off the hook so easily,” he said.
Sattar raised concerns about fire safety and disaster preparedness in Karachi. “The whole country is in mourning, every eye is tearful, and you speak of tenancy matters. Was it written anywhere in the lease that a fire would break out, or that it would not be put out?”
Read more: Fire safety orders ignored despite Gul Plaza tragedy
He acknowledged the efforts of the fire department but questioned their capacity. “There are 25 fire stations in the city. How many have you increased? Over the years, how many fire departments were added?” he asked.
He also claimed that most commercial buildings lacked basic safety measures. “Out of 275 buildings, 200 did not have proper fire safety arrangements. I am telling the people of Karachi that more buildings will catch fire,” he warned.
He criticized the province’s disaster response. “Where’s your PDMA?” he asked.
Sattar also called for investigation into land allotments and commercial development. “There will be questions about land allotments, the ration mafia, RJ Mall and Arshi Shopping Centre,” he said.
In conclusion, he blamed the Sindh government for misplaced priorities. “You’re busy building a paddling arena. You’ve destroyed parks and turned sports grounds into empty spaces,” he said.
He said the MQM-P had demanded a judicial inquiry under the Pakistan Commission of Inquiry Act. “From top to bottom, everyone needs to be held accountable,” Sattar said.
He added that MQM-P convener Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui had written to the prime minister seeking 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 probe.
Memon hits back at Sattar
Responding to Sattar’s press conference, Senior Sindh Minister Sharjeel Inam Memon said that no matter how eloquent Sattar speaks, he cannot distort the truth.
Memon said Sattar as mayor of Karachi played a direct and indirect role in decisions related to the Gul Plaza lease, regularization and town planning which laid the foundation for unsafe construction practices.
“These actions were taken before the 18th amendment,” Memon said. “Documents for lease renewals, mutations and legalizations were signed while he was mayor, and the responsibility for urban planning rested on his shoulders.”
Read more: Sindh governor seeks judicial inquiry into Gul Plaza tragedy
He added that historical records and official documents show that the foundations of illegal constructions and unregulated regulations in Karachi were laid during Sattar’s tenure. “Once violations of the law were regularized and given legal protection, it essentially fostered 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 errors. “Those who laid the foundation for these flawed decisions cannot escape questioning today,” he said.
“The people of Karachi deserve the truth and the truth is that those who legitimized illegal constructions are morally and politically responsible,” he concluded.
