CM Murad rejects calls to declare Karachi a federal territory after Gul Plaza fire

KARACHI: Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah on Friday said the provincial government was still dealing with irregularities that existed before the 18th Amendment, rejecting calls to declare Karachi a federal territory following the deadly Gul Plaza fire.

Speaking on the floor of the Sindh Assembly, the chief minister said the Gul Plaza tragedy was being unnecessarily politicised. He stressed that he was not questioning anyone’s intentions but said political point-scoring had been done over a human tragedy.

“This was a very big tragedy. I am not doubting anyone’s intentions, but politics was done on it,” Murad said, referring to demands to place Karachi under federal control.

Meanwhile, the death toll from the fire that broke out at the multi-storey Gul Plaza building on January 17 has risen to 71, according to Police Surgeon Dr Samia Syed.

Addressing the assembly, the chief minister expressed surprise over repeated references to the 18th Amendment in connection with the incident. “I don’t know from where the 18th Amendment came into this issue,” he said, adding that the Sindh government was still “cleaning up the mess from before the 18th Amendment”.

Providing details of the plaza’s construction history, Murad said an application to construct the building was submitted in 1979, while the sale deed was approved in 1983. He said the Karachi Building Control Authority allowed construction during the 1980s and the plot’s lease was completed in 1983.

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He added that the lease was renewed in 1991 by the then mayor, well before the 18th Amendment was enacted. According to the chief minister, another application was filed in 1998 to construct a third floor, while additional shops were regularised in 2003 — all prior to the amendment.

“All these approvals were granted before the 18th Amendment,” he said, rejecting attempts to link the tragedy to the constitutional change. “To say that all this happened because of the 18th Amendment is akin to committing a serious wrongdoing.”

Rebuild within two years

The chief minister announced that the remaining structure of Gul Plaza would be demolished and shops rebuilt within two years. He assured affected owners they would be given the same number of shops after reconstruction.

“There is no price for a human life,” Murad said, announcing Rs10 million compensation for each family of the deceased.

He said a committee had been tasked with assessing losses and confirmed that the Sindh government would bear the damages. An immediate payment of Rs500,000 will be given to every affected shopkeeper, he added, directing officials to compile lists of traders by Monday.

As a temporary measure, Murad said arrangements had been made for 500 shops in one building and 350 in another, with owners agreeing not to charge rent for a year.

He also announced that the provincial government would provide collateral to help Gul Plaza shopkeepers obtain loans of up to Rs10 million, with the government paying the interest to help businesses restart.