‘This wasn’t just a fire’ — Celebrities mourn loss of lives and livelihoods in Karachi’s Gul Plaza fire
All of Pakistan joined Karachiites in shock and disbelief as images of the city’s iconic Gul Plaza engulfed in flames flashed across phones and television screens over the weekend.
The devastating blaze, which claimed at least 21 lives and caused millions in damage to shopkeepers whose whole stores were engulfed, took firefighters over 24 hours to finally control.
As often happens in times like this, celebrities joined in with mourners, posting messages of shared grief and support for those impacted by the inferno. Actors Sajal Ali, Aiman Khan and singer Samar Jafri said they were heartbroken by the loss.
Actor Zhalay Sarhadi and comedian Ali Gul Pir sent prayers to the deceased and the injured.
Rapper Eva B and actor Minal Khan shared cherished memories of the iconic building fondly, with Minal lamenting the fact that something so horrific was allowed to happen in Karachi. The city, she said, was a “strange orphan” which, despite being a provincial capital and the nation’s beating economic heart, is treated “like a burden neither the province nor the centre wants to claim”.
Actors Hania Aamir, Yashma Gill and filmmaker Adnan Malik called out the absence of safety measures in the building and the lack of oversight when it comes to fire safety. Malik remembered visiting Gul Plaza a month ago and thinking of how the building was “suffocatingly designed”.
Host Anoushey Ashraf drew a comparison between the lavish festivities surrounding Junaid Safdar’s wedding in Lahore and Karachi’s people were simultaneously suffering. She called out the apparent indifference to celebrating with those in power, while the systems they are supposed to run collapse around us.
Saboor Ali, meanwhile, could only find herself asking for God’s mercy in the face of the tragedy.
While rescue teams continue to search for about 65 people who remain missing, leading to fears of even more deaths, it’s clear that the losses suffered in this unfortunate incident did not have to be so high; however, delayed response and limited resources from the authorities allowed the blaze to rage unchecked for hours.
This tragedy should serve as a watershed moment in fire safety regulations and their enforcement. However, it remains to be seen how much action will actually be taken once the smoke clears.
Cover photo: Reuters
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