15 Years of Business Reduced to Ashes in Minutes: Woman Loses PKR 8 Million Stock in Gul Plaza Fire

Karachi: While hundreds of traders suffered losses in the Gul Plaza fire, a heartbreaking story has emerged of a woman whose entire livelihood was destroyed within moments as her garment business went up in flames.

The affected woman, Inam, had been running a garments shop with her husband in the basement of Gul Plaza for the past 15 years. Speaking exclusively to Express News, she said her husband had been associated with Gul Plaza since 1998, and had owned the garments shop for nearly a decade and a half.

Inam recalled that at the time of the incident, her husband and children were present inside the shop. “Suddenly a fire broke out, smoke filled the area, and everything went dark. In the panic, we couldn’t save anything,” she said.

She added that due to the peak business season, stock worth millions of rupees was placed in the shop just that evening, all of which was completely destroyed in the fire. According to her, goods worth approximately PKR 8 million were reduced to ashes.

Appealing to the government, Inam urged authorities to make immediate arrangements for relief and compensation, saying small traders have no other source of income. “This shop was our only livelihood. After 15 years at this location, starting a business elsewhere is not easy. I don’t know how we will run our household now,” she said.

The tragic incident has once again highlighted the vulnerability of small traders and the urgent need for safety measures and post-disaster support.