Family members of several missing persons, including shopkeepers and buyers — four of them women — are searching for their loved ones after they went missing during the fire at Karachi’s Gul Plaza shopping mall.
The deadly blaze that broke out Saturday night at the shopping mall has killed at least six people, with officials warning on Sunday that the toll may rise as several remain trapped inside.
One woman, still in shock, said she learned around 9am that her young son had gone missing. The shaken mother could not confirm whether her son was a shopkeeper or had visited the plaza to buy something.
“I found out at 9 o’clock when my other son, who was going to church, called me and said, ‘Amma, come fast, my brother is missing,'” she said.
“My young son… there is no information about him,” she cried.
A large number of anxious family members were seen outside the Burns Centre at Civil Hospital, fearing that several people may still be inside the building more than 13 hours after the blaze erupted on MA Jinnah Road.
A man searching for six members of his family told Geo News that the group had visited the plaza for wedding shopping and were last contacted at 10:10pm while on the second floor selecting utensils.
Another woman searching for her husband, a shopkeeper at the plaza, said his whereabouts are unknown. She said that two children who also work at his shop are missing along with him.
Helpline established
Meanwhile, in the wake of the Gul Plaza fire incident, the district administration and South Zone Police have established dedicated helplines to facilitate the public and provide timely information.
Deputy Commissioner South Javed Nabi said citizens can share information related to the Gul Plaza tragedy or report missing persons by contacting the DC South office.
The helpline numbers provided for this purpose are 0313-5048048, 021-99206372, and 021-99205625.
Separately, DIG South announced that South Zone Police have also set up helplines to assist and guide citizens affected by the incident. Members of the public can obtain information or seek help by calling 021-99205670, 021-99201196, and 021-99205691.
Authorities urged citizens to use these helplines for accurate information and cooperation during relief and response efforts.
