The Municipal Commissioner of Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) recently appeared before the judicial inquiry commission investigating the devastating fire that engulfed Gul Plaza, a prominent shopping mall located on M.A. Jinnah Road. During the session, the commissioner responded comprehensively to the commission’s questionnaire, shedding light on the administrative and operational roles of various agencies involved in fire safety and emergency response within the city.
He clarified that KMC’s jurisdiction primarily extends to the main road areas, while the responsibility for removing encroachments in the Saddar Town area falls under the Town Municipal Committee Saddar. This distinction in administrative duties is significant, as encroachments often hinder emergency access and exacerbate fire risks. The commissioner further explained that the Civil Defence Directorate has traditionally been tasked with conducting fire safety audits, a role that has evolved over time with legislative changes.
Highlighting recent legal reforms, the commissioner noted that under the Emergency Rescue Service Act of 2023, the mandate for conducting safety audits now lies with Rescue 1122, the provincial emergency rescue service. This shift marks a departure from the earlier framework established by the Sindh Local Government Act of 2013, which assigned firefighting responsibilities to KMC. The transition was officially approved by the KMC Council during its session on December 11, 2025, reflecting an institutional realignment aimed at streamlining emergency services.
Despite these changes, the commissioner emphasized that KMC has proactively undertaken fire safety audits voluntarily, having inspected approximately 200 buildings across the city. The findings from these audits were compiled into a report submitted to the commissioner in 2024. However, he expressed concern that the district administration did not implement effective measures following these assessments. He pointed out that district-level committees, chaired by the Deputy Commissioner under the National Disaster Management Act, were established but failed to take substantial action to mitigate fire risks.
He also drew attention to the designation of urban fires as disasters under the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) guidelines, underscoring the need for coordinated disaster management efforts. The commissioner mentioned that ongoing construction work related to the Green Line project on M.A. Jinnah Road contributed to increased traffic congestion, which complicated emergency response efforts during the fire incident. Following the outbreak of the blaze, heavy machinery such as cranes, excavators, and jackhammers were deployed to assist in rescue and firefighting operations. Additionally, fire brigade personnel, city wardens, and other municipal officials were mobilized to the scene to support containment and evacuation efforts.
In an earlier hearing, the Director General of Rescue 1122, Wajid Sibghatullah, criticized the decision to cut off electricity to the shopping mall during the fire, labeling it a critical error that potentially cost lives. He stressed that timely notification to Rescue 1122 could have significantly improved the rescue operation and saved more people trapped inside the building.
The tragic fire at Gul Plaza erupted late on the night of Saturday, January 17, engulfing the commercial complex and trapping numerous individuals inside. The inferno raged uncontrollably for more than 32 hours before firefighters managed to bring it under control. This prolonged battle against the flames exposed glaring deficiencies in Karachi’s emergency response infrastructure and coordination among various agencies, prompting calls for urgent reforms to prevent similar disasters in the future.
