Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah on Friday alleged a political conspiracy against the 18th Amendment is being fuelled by the Gul Plaza fire tragedy, as he unveiled a comprehensive relief and accountability package in the Sindh Assembly for the victims.
In a strongly worded address, the chief minister condemned what he described as attempts to politicise the disaster, stating, ‘Raising constitutional questions over dead bodies and using this tragedy for political purposes is a crime.’
Mr Shah traced the plaza”s history of building code violations, informing the House that irregularities were regularised in 2003, long before the constitutional amendment. He pointedly remarked that a former mayor who approved the plaza”s lease renewal on a backdated basis was now paradoxically tabling a resolution against it in the National Assembly, calling it “political opportunism.”
Providing details on the 17 January blaze, the chief minister confirmed that of 82 missing individuals, 61 bodies have been recovered, with 15 persons still untraced. DNA identification has been completed for 45 bodies, leading to the formal identification of 15 victims.
The provincial government has released compensation of Rs10 million for the family of each deceased person, with the commissioner directed to ensure swift disbursement.
For the displaced business community, Mr Shah announced an immediate financial assistance of Rs500,000 per shop. The government has also secured two buildings with 850 shops to serve as alternative commercial spaces, with owners agreeing to waive rent for one year while efforts continue to extend the rent-free period to two years.
Furthermore, each affected trader will be eligible for a Rs10 million interest-free loan through the Sindh Enterprise Development Fund. The Sindh government will act as guarantor and cover the markup costs to help businesses rebuild.
CM Shah assured lawmakers that Gul Plaza would be demolished and reconstructed according to its approved plan within two years, with no increase in the number of shops. He also affirmed that FIRs would be registered to bring all responsible parties to justice.
The chief minister criticised the conduct of certain VIPs who insisted on visiting the site during rescue operations for television coverage, stating their presence disrupted emergency efforts.
In response to the incident, broader citywide safety reforms have been initiated. Structural and fire safety audits of over 300 buildings have already been conducted. Non-compliant structures will be sealed after a short period to enforce safety measures.
Future plans include bringing all emergency response agencies under a unified command, introducing mandatory building insurance legislation, and strengthening regulatory oversight to prevent similar disasters.
Concluding his speech, Murad Ali Shah urged critics to hold the government accountable but cautioned against pushing ‘hidden agendas’ during national tragedies, reaffirming his government”s commitment to justice for victims and public safety reforms.