Political Clash in National Assembly Over Gul Plaza Fire: Ruling Alliance Faces Internal Divisions
Islamabad: A heated debate erupted in the National Assembly over the Gul Plaza fire, exposing divisions within the ruling alliance as Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) Pakistan exchanged accusations, while Defence Minister Khawaja Asif criticized administrative failures.
The session, chaired by Deputy Speaker Ghulam Mustafa Shah, was held after MQM demanded suspension of the agenda to discuss the tragic incident in Karachi. MQM leader Farooq Sattar called the fire a “national disaster,” highlighting delayed government response. He said the Sindh Chief Minister arrived 22 hours after the fire, Jamaat-e-Islami representatives 20 hours later, and the Governor stayed overnight. Sattar criticized the city’s administration, noting that firefighter Farqan sacrificed his life trying to control the blaze, and 80 people remain missing.
Sattar also highlighted Karachi’s lack of emergency infrastructure, stating that for a city of four million, only 100 fire brigades exist, half of which are nonfunctional, with only 25 fire stations citywide. He urged for anti-fire equipment from China and called for collaboration with the provincial government to improve public safety.
PPP MNA Shahla Raza dismissed the politicization of the fire, saying similar incidents in New Zealand and Lahore did not provoke political disputes. She criticized MQM for using the incident to challenge provincial authority and questioned why all 24 entry and exit routes at Gul Plaza were blocked, slowing fire brigade access.
Defence Minister Khawaja Asif stressed that weak municipal systems are a major reason such disasters occur and highlighted the need for a clear division of powers and responsibilities.
PPP MNA Qadir Patel blamed MQM and Jamaat-e-Islami for decades of mismanagement in Karachi, asserting that the PPP provided full financial support to fire victims. Patel also criticized the building’s design and illegal plotting practices, citing historical accountability lapses.
MQM MNA Wasim Hussain rejected Patel’s claims, stating that the construction of Gul Plaza was known to all relevant institutions and political figures at the time, and emphasized the need to identify the real culprits instead of politicizing the tragedy.
Earlier, MQM leader Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui criticized the Sindh government, calling for direct intervention by the Prime Minister alongside local representatives. He described the fire as the result of 17 years of mismanagement, warning that over 100 lives could have been lost.
The debate underscored deep political divisions over governance, accountability, and emergency preparedness in Karachi.
