Ah! Gul Plaza.
This tragedy brings to mind a few haunting lines by Robert Frost:
Some say the world will end in fire,
Some say in ice…
I think I know enough of hate
To say that for destruction ice
Is also great
And would suffice.
Fire destroys loudly, visibly and mercilessly. Yet indifference—cold, silent and persistent—can be just as fatal. Gul Plaza reminds us of both.
My childhood is filled with memories of waiting eagerly for cousins who visited during festivals, bringing stories of a “mini Europe.” We listened wide-eyed, inspired by tales of progress, discipline, and safety. With the passage of time, that inspiration faded. Terrorism rose, governance weakened, and the city we once admired began to choke under neglect.
Karachi is not an ordinary city. It is Pakistan’s largest metropolis. once the country’s first capital and home to a vital seaport that connects us to the world. It is the nation’s financial, industrial and commercial heart—housing major corporations in textiles, shipping, banking, automotive manufacturing, media, software development and medical research. It is also a hub of higher education for South Asia and the broader Islamic world. Recognised as a Beta World City, Karachi should symbolise resilience and modern urban management.
Yet, its reality tells a far darker story.
The tragedy of Gul Plaza is not an isolated incident. Over the past decade and a half, Karachi has witnessed repeated and devastating fires. In July 2015, a massive blaze erupted in a shopping centre in Saddar, starting from a single shop and spreading rapidly. Sixteen fire tenders struggled for five hours to control it. Earlier, one of the most destructive fires in the city’s history ravaged the Timber Market in the Old City area, destroying hundreds of shops and warehouses and leaving countless families homeless.
These incidents expose a painful truth: administrative negligence and a shocking disregard for human life. People continue to lose their lives in horrific circumstances, yet meaningful reforms remain absent. The traffic fire incident of January 17, 2016, and now the Gul Plaza tragedy at the beginning of a new year, only reinforce this grim pattern.
Gul Plaza cannot be dismissed as a mere accident. If it were, such disasters would not keep repeating themselves under different names and at different times. The real tragedy lies not only in the fire, but in what follows—or rather, what does not.
What makes this even more disturbing is a statement by a minister comparing such incidents to similar events in California, calling them “normal.” This comparison forces us to revisit history—specifically, the Great Fire of London in 1666. That inferno destroyed much of the city, including St. Paul’s Cathedral, 87 parish churches, and over 13,000 houses. It began accidentally, spread violently, and devastated London.
But there is a crucial difference.
London learned. They made efforts to save London from such incidents.
The disaster did not repeat endlessly. Reconstruction was taken seriously. The Rebuilding Act of 1667 enforced fire-resistant construction, wider streets, standardised building heights, and the use of brick and stone instead of wood. Tragedy became a lesson, not a habit.
In Karachi, however, history repeats itself—not because disasters are unavoidable, but because lessons are ignored. Instead of preventive planning, victims are offered financial compensation after their lives are lost. Relief replaces reform.
Natural calamities may strike anytime, but human negligence is a choice. The long list of fire incidents in Karachi up to January 14, 2025, stands as undeniable evidence that despite repeated warnings, the Sindh government has failed to take effective action.
Fire destroys buildings.
Indifference destroys cities.
Unless this cold neglect ends, Gul Plaza will not be the last name added to this tragic list.