- The authorities officially identify 82 missing people.
- “Four DVRs recovered” from debris during search.
- The recovered gold and silver were returned to the responsible owners.
The death toll from the Gul Plaza inferno tragedy rose to 71, with authorities saying on Saturday that at least 80 percent of rescue and search operations had been completed, almost a week after the fire broke out.
Authorities also said that work to move the rubble from the demolished parts is underway, adding that at least 20 bodies have been identified so far.
As many as 13 bodies have been identified using DNA, they added, specifying that the list of missing people includes 82 names.
Police surgeon Dr Summaiya Tariq said 71 bodies and human remains had so far been brought back from the Gul Plaza site, and the DNA process is complicated as the bodies recovered from the site had been badly burned.
Officials said efforts were underway to establish the identities of the other victims.
They added that four digital video recorders (DVRs) were recovered from the rubble during the search operation, which could provide important evidence in determining the causes of the inferno.
They added that valuable items were recovered during the clearance of the debris, including 1.5 kilograms of gold and over Rs 100,000 in cash from a basement store, which were returned to their respective owners.
Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah, addressing the provincial assembly, said a total of 88 people were initially reported missing; however, one of them later returned safely.
“Five of the names have been duplicated, bringing the actual number of people missing after the fire to 82. Of these, 67 bodies have been found. As I speak to you, 15 people are still missing,” he added.
Addressing a press conference on Friday, Governor Tessori said he would write letters to the Chief Justices of the Supreme Court and the Sindh High Court (SHC) to conduct an inquiry into the fire.
“Those responsible must be identified and punished without delay,” he added.
His remarks come amid ongoing rescue efforts, as teams continue to search for more people missing following the devastating inferno that broke out last Saturday night.
According to investigative sources, the fire broke out in a store selling artificial flowers, where children present were playing at the time of the incident; however, the final cause has not been stated.
Criticizing the Sindh government, the governor said the administration cannot be absolved of its responsibility in the Gul Plaza tragedy.
He also questioned the handling of the incident and its aftermath, saying those responsible were not present at the scene when they were needed.
Governor Tessori said fuel trucks remained stuck in traffic near Guru Mandir, as highlighted by journalist Arshad Vohra.
“The administration is responsible. People pay taxes and then are expected to tolerate mismanagement. Such incidents will continue to happen until all those responsible are punished,” the governor said.
