Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah announced that his government has approved a comprehensive Rs7 billion financial package for the Gul Plaza tragedy victims, of which Rs5.6 billion has been secured, and Rs511 million in compensation cheques have been distributed among 200 verified victims.
A massive fire had erupted at the shopping centre in January this year, claiming over 70 lives and destroying hundreds of shops.
Speaking as the chief guest at a ceremony held at the CM House on Friday, 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.
He said 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, he added.
In the second phase, 849 affected shopkeepers were provided Rs500,000 each as immediate relief during Ramadan to help them begin rebuilding their livelihoods.
Sindh CM said the provincial government had also approved a comprehensive Rs7bn 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.
CM Murad 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.
CM Murad 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% of the findings reflected concerns his government had pointed out from the outset.
The chief minister 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.
Sindh 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.
Infrastructure projects
The chief minister used the occasion to brief participants on major infrastructure and rehabilitation initiatives underway across Karachi, saying Azeempura Flyover would be completed within 90 days, while work was progressing on Pehlwan Goth Road, Natha Khan Goth Road, the road linking Shahrah-e-Faisal to Gulshan, Nishtar Road, Turi Bangash Road, Sohrab Akhtar Road, Jehangir Road, Mirza Adam Road in Lyari, Qalandria Road, Metroville Road, Mehrunnisa Road near SIUT, Chand Bibi Road, Islahuddin Road and roads around Gul Plaza.
The chief minister 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 10 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.
Provincial ministers, Syed Nasir Hussain Shah, Zia-ul-Hassan Lanjar, Jam Ikramullah Dharejo, Mukesh Kumar Chawla, Saeed Ghani, Adviser to CM Gyan Chand Essrani, Chief Secretary Asif Hyder Shah, Karachi Mayor Murtaza Wahab, Principal Secretary to CM Agha Wasif, Commissioner Karachi Hassan Naqvi, representatives of Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry, including Zubair Motiwala, and a large number of affectees attended the ceremony.
