The Christian Rights Defense Council (CRDC) has declared the recent fatal fire at Gul Plaza a direct result of “government negligence and inadequate safety measures,” demanding the strict enforcement of fire safety laws in commercial and industrial buildings across the city.
Addressing a prayer ceremony held for the victims on Monday, CRDC Chairman Adil George Mattu emphasized that such fires in shopping centers and factories in Karachi have become a recurring problem, and he criticized the failure of responsible institutions to implement effective safety measures to prevent these horrific incidents.
He described the Gul Plaza tragedy not as an isolated incident but as a continuation of systemic failures in safety protocols, calling it an “irreparable loss for the people of Karachi.”
During the ceremony, the council formally demanded that the government provide immediate financial assistance to the bereaved families and ensure the strict enforcement of fire safety laws to prevent future loss of life.
The prayer ceremony, held at the Chairman’s residence in Kashmir Colony, was organized to express solidarity, with Mattu stating that the Christian community equally shares in the grief of the families affected by this tragedy. The ceremony was attended by a large number of council workers and community members.
After the ceremony, Chairman Mattu and other council representatives attended the funeral prayer and burial of the young Christian, Churchill Nadeem, who died in the incident, and expressed their personal condolences and support to his grieving family.