Karachi, Pakistan – In the aftermath of the devastating fire that ravaged the Gul Plaza building in Karachi, the city’s commissioner, Syed Hasan Naqvi, has announced that a probe committee will be formed to investigate the incident. The committee’s first meeting is scheduled for tomorrow, with the aim of uncovering the facts and circumstances surrounding the tragedy.
As of now, 26 people have been confirmed dead, with 71 still unaccounted for. The rescue operation is ongoing, and 20 bodies have been recovered so far, with 18 of them identified. The Fire Brigade has confirmed that the rescue operation in the first floor of the affected building has been completed.
The fire, which broke out at around 10:22 PM on Sunday, was brought under control after 33 hours of efforts. The cooling process is still ongoing, and the debris is being cleared at a rapid pace. The mobile phone locations of the 29 missing persons are registered in the vicinity of the Gul Plaza, and their families have been directed to report to the Civil Hospital for DNA samples and other necessary procedures.
The Sindh Building Control Authority (SBCA) has declared the adjacent Rampart Plaza building as unsafe following the fire incident. The Pakistan Meteorological Department has warned of a powerful western system that may affect the upper regions of the country from today to January 24.
The death toll in the Gul Plaza fire has been confirmed at 28, with 11 bodies identified so far. The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader, Salman Akram Raja, has criticized the government for not taking any concrete steps to address the opposition leaders’ concerns.
In other news, the counsel for the accused, Falak Javed, has opposed the recording of the testimony of provincial Minister for Law, Syed Nasir Hussain Shah. The Iranian government has warned the US President, Donald Trump, of severe consequences if any aggressive action is taken against the Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
In a separate development, the International Cricket Council (ICC) has convened an emergency board meeting to discuss the ongoing dispute between Bangladesh and India. The meeting will also focus on the recent developments in the Bangladesh-India diplomatic row.
Meanwhile, the wedding of the son of Punjab Chief Minister, Maryam Nawaz, and retired Captain Safdar’s son, Junaid Safdar, has taken center stage on social media.
