Showbiz personalities express grief over Gul Plaza tragedy

Photo File (AI/Internet Pic)

The devastating fire at Karachi’s historic Gul Plaza has plunged the city and the entire country into deep mourning, as harrowing images of the blaze spread across social media and television screens over the weekend. The tragic incident has sparked nationwide grief, anger, and renewed questions about fire safety and institutional negligence.

Following the tragedy, prominent figures from Pakistan’s showbiz industry expressed solidarity with the victims and their families. Celebrities including Minal Khan, Hania Aamir, Sajal Ali, Yashma Gill, Aiman Khan, and singer Samar Jafri shared heartfelt condolence messages, mourning the loss of precious human lives.

Actress Hania Aamir, in an Instagram story, described the incident as more than just an accident, calling it a result of collective negligence and failure of safety mechanisms. She emphasized that condolences alone are not enough and stressed the need for accountability, while praying for strength for the grieving families.

Actress Saboor Ali offered prayers for mercy and forgiveness for the deceased, while Yashma Gill voiced serious concerns over the lack of fire safety arrangements in commercial buildings. Filmmaker Adnan Malik revealed that he had visited Gul Plaza a month earlier and found the building’s design extremely congested, raising alarm over safety conditions even before the tragedy.

Rapper Eva B and actress Manal Khan paid tribute by sharing their personal memories associated with Gul Plaza. Manal Khan lamented Karachi’s plight, describing it as an “orphaned city” — neglected by both provincial and federal authorities despite being the country’s economic hub.

Television host Anoushey Ashraf highlighted the stark contrast between lavish celebrations elsewhere and the suffering of Karachi’s residents. She pointed to the extravagant wedding events in Lahore occurring simultaneously, questioning a governance system where celebrations continue while public safety deteriorates.

Rescue officials managed to enter the building 40 hours after the fire, completing the search on the first floor and continuing operations on the second floor to locate survivors or recover bodies. Experts say the Gul Plaza tragedy should serve as a turning point for enforcing fire safety laws, though skepticism remains over whether meaningful reforms will follow once public attention fades.