PPP Senator Sherry Rehman on Monday said that there was no need to politicise the fire which broke out in Karachi’s Gul Plaza shopping mall, saying that it was a “lesson for all of us”.

She made the remarks in the Senate after Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) Senator Khalida Ateeb called the House’s attention to the incident, lambasting the Sindh government for its negligence.

Calling the incident “heartbreaking”, Rehman said that there could be no compensation for all of the lives lost in the incident.

She asserted that the entire Sindh government was active and dealing with the situation. However, she conceded that the fire brigade took time to reach the site after the fire broke out as there was a large crowd gathered at the scene.

She added that Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah had announced Rs10m as compensation for the affected families.

“Shutting down private enterprise is harmful since this is such a big plaza. But fire safety is necessary for a city like Karachi and one should ask the administration of Gul Plaza about how it happened since they run the market,” she added.

“I am not giving excuses; it was a huge lesson for all of us. It was a tragedy for the whole of Pakistan, not only for Karachi or Sindh,” she said.

“It was a big and tragic incident but there is no need for pointing fingers or engaging in politics,” she stated.

“If there is any aid or assistance that they (the MQM) can extend to us, then I urge them to do that but sadly, it will be politicised,” Senator Rehman added. “Our doors are open for both relief and criticism.”

MQM senator assails Sindh govt

In her remarks, Ateeb took aim at the Sindh government and highlighted that there were no safety or emergency measures at Gul Plaza.

“The whole building collapsed and there was no emergency exit,” she highlighted. “Whose responsibility is this? If people are saying the fire brigade turned up too late, then how did the building authority allow 1,200 shops in a space which only allows for 500?”

“Permission is granted to build the mall but all the things needed for such a building need to be considered,” she emphasised.

“Windows were shut because of air conditioners and were either blocked by items or had grills so people were unable to escape,” she added.

Senator Ateeb stated that the government was responsible for failing to ensure safety measures.

“The government says they will compensate the victims’ families for the damages, but there is no compensation for the lives lost,” she said.

“The people of Karachi are drowning in sorrow right now, yet we are here passing bills and giving speeches on different subjects. This needs to be our priority: the city which gives nearly 70 per cent in taxes to the Centre,” she said.

‘It’s incompetence, but pointing fingers alone will not help’

Speaking right after Rehman, PTI Senator Barrister Ali Zafar agreed with her that the incident should not be politicised. But, he also highlighted that the incident “exposes corruption”.

“Corruption has its price,” he said, recalling that the Supreme Court had also ordered an investigation into authorities related to buildings’ construction in Karachi.

“What’s happening — in Karachi and across the country — is that building bylaws are only on paper,” he remarked.

Zafar said that because of corruption, building maps not meeting legal requirements and lacking features such as fire exits were being approved. “And once the building is constructed, there is no supervision of it, which is also because of corruption.

“This happened in Karachi, Lahore and other cities.”

He added that after incidents such as the Gul Plaza blaze, opposition members would usually hurl criticism and those from the government would defend themselves. “Chief ministers arrive at the site of the incident and express condolences. And compensations are paid from the treasury.

“But this does not solve the problem.”

Zafar urged that the implementation and enforcement of building bylaws, as well as penalties for their violations, be discussed in the upper House of Parliament.

“These are two major issues that we need to address,” he said, further highlighting the need for suggestions to prevent incidents like the Gul Plaza inferno.

“Our MQM senator made a good point, but let’s also give suggestions on how to stop this.”

Terming the Gul Plaza blaze an example of “incompetence” of the Sindh government, he stressed that “pointing fingers alone will not help. The issue will only be resolved once we address this issue.”

‘Extremely tragic’

PPP Senator Waqar Mehdi said the incident was “extremely tragic, disheartening, and saddening”, adding that there were more shops at the mall than had been approved, with “nearly 250 having been illegally set up”.

“The problem is that the building was constructed in the 1990s and only 900 shops had been approved, but approximately another 250 were built illegally,” he claimed.

The senator also noted that the building’s completion certificate was issued around 2003-04 by then-Sindh chief minister Arbab Ghulam Rahim.