The authorities have started the process to seal off the fire-ravaged Gul Plaza building on MA Jinnah Road, 10 days after the devastating blaze that left dozens dead and several missing.
Meanwhile, Karachi’s Zone South police chief, DIG Syed Asad Raza, has constituted a special investigation team to ensure an impartial probe into the incident and arrest those found responsible for the deadly fire.
District South Deputy Commissioner Javed Nabi Khoso said a special committee formed by the district administration had initiated a process for identification and handover of human remains to the families of the deceased.
Rescue 1122 Chief Operating Officer Dr Abid Jalaluddin Shaikh said the search and rescue operation at the Gul Plaza had been completed up to 99 per cent. He said only one per cent of the area remained unsearched, where heavy structural debris had collapsed. Dr Shaikh added that once the building was fully sealed, heavy machinery would be used to remove the debris, after which search operations would be conducted in the remaining section.
He maintained that in the 99 per cent of the area where the search operation had been completed, there was no chance of finding any more human remains, as the same section had been inspected multiple times and all recoverable remains have already been retrieved.
On Monday, the district administration installed bamboo poles around the affected site, which would be used to cover the area with protective sheets from all sides. Officials said these measures were being taken to restrict access to the dangerous structure and ensure public safety.
The Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) has started digging pits around the building to install iron shuttering, and the structure would also be enclosed with green plastic netting. A technical team also reached the site to carry out a detailed structural assessment.
According to officials, the remaining structure of the Gul Plaza is extremely unstable after nearly 40 per cent of the building collapsed during the fire. The administration said that the remaining structure would be demolished under the supervision of experts from the Sindh Building Control Authority (SBCA) once the site was fully sealed.
Sources said preliminary investigations have suggested that the fire first broke out in the basement, where both entry and exit points were found locked at the time of the incident. Rescue teams have briefed senior officials by sharing videos and other evidence related to the locked basement exits.
Since the incident, one track of MA Jinnah Road adjacent to Gul Plaza has remained closed for all kinds of traffic. Commercial activities in Gul Tijarah, Madina Centre and other nearby markets have also remained suspended for the past 10 days.
Officials said that once the sealing process was completed, there was a possibility that the adjoining roads may be reopened for traffic. The fire erupted at around 10:45pm on January 17, affecting approximately 1,200 shops and causing part of the commercial building to collapse.
Investigation
The Zone South police chief has constituted a special investigation team to arrest the suspects and ensure an impartial probe into the deadly blaze. According to a police order, the team was formed under the supervision of the SP Investigation-II City, Karachi, to investigate the FIR No 8/26 registered at the Nabi Bux police station under the sections 322, 436, 337-H(I) and 427 of the Pakistan Penal Code.
The team comprises the Garden Sub-Division SDPO, Kharadar Investigation (Investigation-II District City) DSP, Nabi Bux SHO, CIC Garden Incharge, Investigation-II staff, and investigation officer of the case.
The order directs the investigation team to make all-out and diligent efforts to arrest the accused persons by utilising all available resources. The team has also been authorised to co-opt any officer or official from South Zone, Karachi, if required, to facilitate the investigation.
The DIG has also directed that a daily progress report be submitted to his office without fail. The investigators from the Nabi Bux police station reached the site of the incident where they conducted a detailed inspection of the building.
Data of the deceased and missing persons in the Gul Plaza tragedy is also being compiled through the National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA). According to sources, a NADRA mobile registration van has been summoned to the South deputy commissioner (DC) office to facilitate the process.
NADRA officials said the Family Registration Certificates (FRCs) of the victims who lost their lives or went missing in the incident are being prepared. NADRA officials said the district administration has directed the affected families to obtain FRCs as part of the documentation process.
Relatives of the victims said they were contacted by the DC office and asked to complete their FRCs. They added that the certificates were being prepared to enable the government to release financial assistance to the affected families.
The identification of victims whose bodies and remains were recovered from the debris of the Gul Plaza fire has turned into a major challenge for authorities, with medico-legal sources saying that identification of more than 15 victims was extremely difficult as no viable DNA samples could be obtained from them.
South DC Javed Nabi Khoso said a special committee formed by the district administration has started work related to the handover of human remains to the families of the deceased. The committee, working under the supervision of the South DC, includes the Garden assistant commissioner, mukhtiarkar, Garden DSP, a representative of the police surgeon’s office, and two members from the Gul Plaza management committee. It would take final decisions regarding the handover of remains to the heirs of the deceased.
According to officials, the Sindh Forensic DNA and Serology Laboratory has so far issued DNA reports of only 16 victims, making a total of identified bodies and remains to 23. The remains of 73 victims out of total 82 reported missing persons have been recovered from the debris.
Earlier in the day, the DC told the media that recovery and search operations were now in their final stages and the Gul Plaza would be sealed. He added that some relatives of missing persons had yet to contact authorities, while heirs of 13 reported missing persons had not provided DNA samples so far.
The body of Abdul Haseeb, a resident of Saddar, was handed over to his family from the Edhi mortuary in Sohrab Goth. The deceased, son of Abdul Waheed, was identified through DNA testing on Sunday. He owned a decoration items shop at the plaza.
