Public grief cannot keep being met with rehearsed condolences, says Durefishan Saleem on Gul Plaza fire
Actor Durefishan Saleem is calling out the sustained neglect towards Karachi city, demanding accountability — even though she thinks many might believe her role should be limited to appearances and performances.
“Visibility comes with responsibility, and influence is meaningless if it isn’t used to speak when something is deeply wrong,” she wrote.
After the horrifying fire at Karachi’s Gul Plaza, which has claimed 61 lives so far, many celebrities have spoken about the mismanagement of the city, which constantly puts the lives of its residents at risk. Saleem, in an Instagram story, wrote that the series of unfortunate events is a direct result of consistent neglect towards the well-being of this city; incidents that stem from failures that “could have been prevented”.
“When lives are lost repeatedly due to failures that could have been prevented, silence becomes complicity. Asking questions is no longer enough,” she wrote. “Accountability must be demanded!!!”
Tagging the mayor of Karachi, Murtaza Wahab, the Ishq Murshid star stated that rehearsed condolences and delayed reports are not the answer to public grief.
“Leadership exists to protect lives, and when that protection fails again and again, consequences must follow.”
The actor called for urgent action and answers from the city’s leadership, highlighting that empty promises aren’t enough for the betterment of the land and its people. “When tragedies occur under a system’s watch, those at the helm must answer for them. Karachi deserves more than statements and promises. It deserves action and urgency!!!”
On Wednesday, actor Yasir Hussain raised a similar question. “If, God forbid, something like this happens there, what steps are being taken for that situation, what’s being done for the future, what are [the authorities] planning?” he asked.
Since the harrowing incident, many celebrities posted 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.
Celebrities such as Sarwat Gilani and Zhalay Sarhadi have been trying to utilise their reach to create solutions for the hundreds of businesses affected by the fire.
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