The inferno that swept through Gul Plaza in Karachi this weekend was not a bolt from the blue but the grim and predictable outcome of long-standing neglect, regulatory apathy and institutional failure.
As flames ripped 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 sorrow, outrage and disbelief followed closely 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 amid shops stocked with clothing, plastics, cosmetics and other combustible goods. Like so many commercial buildings in the city, it functioned on the assumption that disaster would not strike. That assumption proved lethal. While initial indications point to an electrical short circuit as the spark, it was the environment – overcrowded, poorly designed and largely unregulated – that allowed the fire to grow unchecked and deadly.
As smoke rapidly filled the structure, escape became nearly impossible. Narrow passageways turned into choke points, exits were inaccessible or inadequately marked, and basic safety systems failed to provide any meaningful protection. If fire alarms or sprinklers existed, they offered no effective warning or suppression. Many of those trapped inside had no clear route to safety. Firefighters arrived to confront an already raging blaze, battling flames under punishing conditions, slowed by traffic congestion, limited access and the building’s hazardous layout. 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 dot the city’s recent history. Each incident follows the same script: condolences are issued, committees are formed, compensation is announced and then attention drifts elsewhere. Structural reform is deferred, enforcement weakens again and unsafe buildings continue operating as if nothing happened. Gul Plaza is not an anomaly; it is another entry in a long and shameful record.
Underlying this cycle is a deeply entrenched culture of disregard. Fire safety regulations exist in theory but are rarely applied with rigour. Buildings are approved without thorough inspections, and once operational, they are modified repeatedly to maximise commercial space at the expense of safety. Electrical networks are overloaded, emergency exits are sacrificed for storage or display and hazardous materials are packed tightly into confined spaces. When inspections do occur, they are often treated as procedural exercises rather than life-saving interventions.
The city’s emergency response capacity offers little reassurance. Karachi’s fire brigade is overstretched, under-resourced and ill-equipped for a city of this size and complexity. Fire stations are insufficiently distributed, response times are undermined by congestion and encroachments, and much of the equipment is outdated. Firefighters are routinely sent into perilous situations with limited protective gear and inadequate training for large commercial or high-rise fires. Expecting them to compensate for decades of urban mismanagement is neither reasonable nor just.
Poor urban planning further magnifies the danger. Commercial districts like Saddar are packed beyond capacity, with roads narrowed by illegal constructions, vendors and unchecked development. Emergency access is treated as a luxury rather than a necessity. In such conditions, even a small fire can escalate into a mass-casualty event within minutes.
None of this is unavoidable. Around the world, cities with comparable density 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 core civic responsibility, not an optional add-on to urban growth.
Commercial buildings must be compelled to meet contemporary safety standards in practice, not merely in documentation. Functional detection systems, working sprinklers, clearly accessible exits and fire-resistant construction materials should be non-negotiable requirements. Inspections must be conducted regularly by independent bodies and violations must carry 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, serious investment is needed in fire and rescue services. Expanding the number of fire stations, upgrading equipment, improving water supply infrastructure and providing specialised training are essential steps for a city that continues to grow vertically and commercially. Emergency vehicles must be given priority passage, and urban layouts must ensure access during crises.
Public awareness is equally critical. Building owners, shopkeepers and workers must be educated in fire prevention and emergency response. Regular drills should become routine rather than symbolic gestures. A culture of safety 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 trouble Karachi’s collective conscience. It stands as a reminder that disasters are often man-made, born of indifference, ignored warnings and compromised standards. Those who lost their lives deserved protection. Those who remain deserve assurance 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 question is whether the resolve does.
The writer is a journalist based in Karachi. He tweets/posts @omar_quraishi and can be reached at: [email protected]
