Demands for Karachi Mayor’s resignation intensify after mall fire kills 60
Islamabad, Jan 22 (IANS/WISHAVWARTA) The Human Rights Council (HRC) of Pakistan staged a protest outside Karachi Press Club, demanding the immediate resignation of Karachi Mayor Murtaza Wahab and strict legal action against those responsible for the Gul Plaza shopping mall fire that claimed at least 60 lives and left many injured.
The massive fire that erupted at Gul Plaza on the night of January 17 triggered public outrage, with people slamming the Sindh government and the Karachi Mayor for the delayed action.
According to the rights body, several men, women, and children, including the Chairman of the HRC, Jamshed Hussain, and other members of the Council, participated in the demonstrations.
Addressing the protesters, Chairman Hussain said that the horrific fire that broke out at Gul Plaza “is not merely an accident, but a criminal negligence by the concerned institutions and a grave violation of human rights”.
He stated that the death of more than 60 people and the disappearance of dozens is glaring proof of the failure of the Pakistani government system.
The Council stressed that the one crore Pakistani rupees per person compensation announced by the provincial government of Sindh is “extremely insufficient”.
It demanded the formation of an investigation committee that is not merely for show, but one that identifies those responsible and takes concrete legal action against the officers.
“Accepting moral responsibility for administrative failure in the city and the incompetence of the fire brigade, the Mayor of Karachi should immediately resign from his post,” the HRC stated.
The rights body stated that the officers of the Sindh Building Control Authority (SBCA) and Fire Brigade, whose lack of preparedness and negligence led to the loss of precious lives, should be held accountable.
In his address, the HRC Karachi Division President, Bashir Daras, said that “the incompetence of SBCA and the Fire Brigade has given birth to this tragedy”. He demanded that full financial compensation be provided for the billions of rupees in losses suffered by the affected traders and that the injured receive the best medical facilities at government expense.
The HRC of Pakistan warned that if immediate justice is not delivered to the victims, the scope of the protest would be expanded.
