At least six members of a single family, including women and children, are still missing after the deadly Gul Plaza fire in Karachi, deepening the tragedy as families continue to search for their loved ones amid fear and uncertainty.
According to relatives gathered outside the fire-stricken building on MA Jinnah Road, the missing individuals are from the same family and went to visit the Gul Plaza for wedding shopping when the fire broke out late at night, since then, contact with them has been lost.
Visit Times of Karachi website for the latest news-related content
Family members said that Kausar, the mother of a bride named Kiran, had gone to Gul Plaza along with other relatives to purchase wedding items. However, their mobile phones became unreachable during the fire incident.
Relatives told the media that six members of the bride’s family are missing, including her mother, her only brother Saad, her uncle Ashraf, and a young girl Misbah.
The family lives close to Gul Plaza, raising hopes that they might have escaped, but no confirmation has been received so far.
READ: Karachi Gul Plaza Fire: Live Updates
The heirs said they visited multiple hospitals across Karachi in search of their missing relatives. However, they were unable to find their names either among the injured or on the list of deceased released by authorities so far.
Earlier in the day, Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah has ordered a detailed investigation into the Gul Plaza fire incident after being briefed by Commissioner Karachi and Deputy Commissioner South on the tragedy that caused multiple casualties and massive financial losses.
According to the briefing, the fire at Gul Plaza broke out between 9:45 pm and 10:15 pm, rapidly spreading across the commercial building.
Follow the Times of Karachi channel on WhatsApp
Officials informed the chief minister that more than 1,200 shops were gutted, causing severe losses to traders and shop owners.
The chief minister was told that six people lost their lives in the incident, while 22 others sustained injuries. All injured individuals were shifted to the burns ward of Civil Hospital Karachi, where they are receiving medical treatment.
Briefing officials said that after sustained efforts, the fire brigade managed to bring the blaze 60 to 70 percent under control.
