Karachi: Renowned religious scholar Mufti Muneeb-ur-Rehman has strongly criticized the Sindh government following the tragic fire incident at Gul Plaza, stating that while Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari highlighted the performance of the Sindh government at the Presidency, the Gul Plaza tragedy effectively nullified all such claims.
In a statement issued in Karachi, Mufti Muneeb-ur-Rehman described the Gul Plaza fire as a major and deeply distressing tragedy, saying it has exposed serious shortcomings in governance, urban planning, and emergency response mechanisms in the country’s largest city. He said that the incident has raised alarming questions about public safety in Karachi, a megacity with a population of nearly 30 million.
Mufti Muneeb said that Bilawal Bhutto Zardari recently presented what he described as the achievements and performance of the Sindh government during an event held at the Aiwan-e-Sadr (Presidency). However, he remarked that the devastating fire at Gul Plaza “poured cold water” over those claims, highlighting the gap between official narratives and ground realities.
Referring to estimates provided by traders’ organizations, Mufti Muneeb said that the financial losses caused by the Gul Plaza fire have been assessed at around Rs3 billion. He noted that dozens of shops were destroyed, leaving traders financially devastated and raising serious concerns about the protection of livelihoods in commercial centers across Karachi.
Calling attention to the city’s inadequate emergency infrastructure, Mufti Muneeb-ur-Rehman said it was deeply troubling that a city with a population of around three crore people lacks an effective firefighting system. “In a city of this size, the absence of a proper fire-extinguishing mechanism is not just negligence, it is a collective failure of governance,” he said.
He questioned how claims of good governance and effective administration could be justified when basic emergency services remain insufficient. According to Mufti Muneeb, repeated fire incidents in Karachi’s commercial buildings, markets, and plazas reflect long-standing neglect of safety regulations and enforcement.
The senior religious scholar stressed that tragedies like the Gul Plaza incident are not isolated events but part of a recurring pattern in Karachi. He said that time and again, fires break out due to faulty electrical systems, lack of fire exits, absence of firefighting equipment, and poor building maintenance, yet little is done to address these root causes.
Mufti Muneeb said that after every such tragedy, inquiries are announced and statements are issued, but meaningful reforms rarely follow. He added that the Gul Plaza fire should serve as a wake-up call for provincial and city authorities to take serious, long-term measures rather than resorting to temporary fixes or blame-shifting.
He also expressed concern over the human cost of such incidents, noting that beyond financial losses, lives are often put at risk due to the lack of preparedness. While praying for those who lost their lives in the Gul Plaza tragedy, he said that no amount of compensation can truly make up for the loss of human life.
Mufti Muneeb-ur-Rehman offered prayers for the forgiveness of the deceased and patience for the bereaved families. He urged authorities to not only provide immediate relief to affected traders and families but also ensure accountability so that similar tragedies can be prevented in the future.
He emphasized that safeguarding human life is a fundamental responsibility of the state and that ensuring functional emergency services is a basic requirement of governance. According to him, the credibility of any government’s performance claims depends on its ability to protect citizens from preventable disasters.
The religious scholar also indirectly criticized the political culture of highlighting achievements while ignoring systemic failures. He said that public confidence is eroded when official speeches and presentations do not align with the lived experiences of ordinary citizens, especially in times of crisis.
Mufti Muneeb called on the Sindh government and local authorities to urgently review fire safety standards in commercial buildings, conduct comprehensive audits of existing structures, and upgrade firefighting infrastructure across Karachi. He said that without strict enforcement of safety laws and investment in emergency services, tragedies like Gul Plaza will continue to occur.
He further stressed the need for transparency in investigating the incident, saying that the public deserves to know the exact causes of the fire and whether negligence played a role. He added that those found responsible, whether through action or inaction, must be held accountable under the law.
