Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah on Friday announced that his government has approved a comprehensive Rs7 billion financial package for the Gul Plaza tragedy affectees, of which Rs5.657 billion has been secured, and Rs511.7 million in compensation cheques have been distributed among 200 verified victims.
He reaffirmed the government’s commitment to their full rehabilitation and preventing such incidents in future. Speaking as the chief guest at a ceremony held at the CM House, the chief minister described the Gul Plaza tragedy as a painful incident that caused immense human and financial losses to many families and the business community.
Shah said the Sindh government, guided by the vision of Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto and the leadership of the Pakistan Peoples Party, had been committed from day one to providing immediate and long-term relief to the victims.
He said that in the first phase, compensation of Rs10 million each was announced for the families of 72 deceased persons. Payments have already been completed in 64 cases, while four are under verification and four are pending due to issues relating to legal heirs. In the second phase, 849 affected shopkeepers were provided Rs500,000 each as immediate relief during Ramazan to help them begin rebuilding their livelihoods.
The CM said the provincial government had also approved a comprehensive Rs7 billion financial package for the victims, out of which Rs5.657 billion had already been obtained through the Accountant General’s office for distribution among affectees according to assessments provided by KCCI.
Under the ongoing phase, cheques worth Rs511.7 million were distributed among 200 verified affectees, while compensation for the remaining claimants would also be released after KCCI verification.
According to KCCI estimates, Gul Plaza housed 1,209 shops, and compensation is being processed based on inventory losses. Expressing solidarity with the victims, the chief minister said no compensation could fully offset the losses suffered, but the government stood firmly with the affectees. “No financial assistance can compensate for the pain and losses suffered, but we are committed to your rehabilitation and support,” he said.
The CM said the government was determined to complete all pending payments and continue supporting affected traders. “Every verified affected person will receive compensation. No one will be left behind,” he said.
He praised the resilience of the affected families and the trader community and said their courage in difficult circumstances was admirable. He also emphasised that the government was working to ensure stronger preventive and safety measures to avoid recurrence of such tragedies. “We will continue taking measures not only for rehabilitation but also to prevent such incidents in future,” he said.
The chief minister appreciated the role of KCCI in assessment and verification and said collaboration with stakeholders had made the compensation process possible. He also spoke on the Judicial Commission report on the Gul Plaza tragedy, announcing that a committee had been constituted to implement its recommendations and present its proposals before the next Sindh cabinet meeting.
He said accountability would be ensured in line with the report. “Whoever has been identified as responsible in the report will face action,” he said, adding that more than 90 per cent of the findings reflected concerns his government had pointed out from the outset.
CM Shah said President Asif Ali Zardari had also taken up the issue with Chinese authorities and that a Chinese company had twice visited Karachi and prepared a comprehensive firefighting plan to strengthen emergency response systems.
He acknowledged that in the past, greater focus had been placed on development than service delivery, but said the government was now addressing both simultaneously. “This year alone, over Rs300 billion worth of development schemes have been earmarked for Karachi, though ideally the city needs much larger investments,” he said.
He added that longstanding civic problems could not be attributed to one government alone, noting that many structural issues predated the present administration.
The CM stressed there would be no compromise on quality, referring to concerns raised on social media regarding road works, and said field verification had shown certain complaints stemmed from resistance to anti-encroachment operations rather than construction defects.
He announced that Shahrah-e-Bhutto would be inaugurated in the first ten days of May by PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, while the Murghi Khana Bridge and the road linking Masjid Ayesha to Shahrah-e-Bhutto would also be completed soon.
He criticised what he termed misleading reporting about development projects and law and order on Shahrah-e-Bhutto, urging balanced coverage. “Media should point out shortcomings, but it should also highlight the good work being done so public confidence is strengthened,” he said.
Reaffirming the government’s commitment after the Gul Plaza tragedy, Shah said compensation, accountability, urban safety reforms and infrastructure development would move forward together to restore confidence among citizens and traders.
Chairman Businessmen Group and prominent traders’ leader Zubair Motiwala, addressing the ceremony, thanked the Sindh government and Chief Minister Shah for what he called a serious and sincere effort to support the victims.
He said the government had moved swiftly and substantially in a short time. “A great deal of work has been done in a very short period. We are deeply grateful to Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah for standing with the business community,” he said.
A sign of hope
Representatives of the affectees also spoke at the event and thanked the Sindh government for its sustained support. Affected trader Muhammad Ashraf said the day had turned hope into reality. “This is not just a compensation cheque, it is hope,” he said, adding that the government had remained with the victims through a difficult period.
Another affectee, Sultan, said the tragedy had been devastating, but the government’s support had shown victims they were not alone. Affectee Ilyas Shah said the victims could never forget the night of January 17 when the tragedy struck, but appreciated that the Sindh government stood with them in their time of hardship.
The chief minister said beyond compensation, the government remained committed to preventing such tragedies in future through stronger safety oversight and continued engagement with stakeholders.
“Our farmers, workers and traders are the backbone of the economy. We will continue to support those affected and work to ensure such incidents do not recur,” he said. Shah praised the resilience of the victims and the cooperation of the Karachi Chamber, saying collective efforts would help affected traders recover stronger. “The courage shown by the victims is inspiring. Together, we will overcome this difficult chapter and emerge stronger,” he concluded.
The chief minister and provincial ministers distributed 129 cheques among the victims and assured them that the new Gul Plaza Building with the same number of shops would be constructed within two years.
