The Gul Plaza fire was not an accident; it was the result of long-standing neglect, institutional failure, and a system that repeatedly places ordinary lives at the bottom of its priorities. As the death toll continues to rise, the tragedy has once again exposed how unprepared Pakistan’s cities are to protect their citizens in moments of crisis.
As families mourn their loved ones and survivors struggle to make sense of the devastation, the incident has become a grim reminder of how unequal this country remains. While tragedy unfolded in Karachi, members of the ruling elite continued with celebrations and social events. This contrast is not merely insensitive; it reflects a deeper and more disturbing reality of systemic inequality and indifference.
According to a 2021 UNDP report, Pakistan’s elites consume nearly 6 to 6.5 percent of the country’s GDP every year, amounting to approximately 17.4 billion dollars annually. This wealth is sustained through preferential access to land, capital, and infrastructure. At the same time, only 1.1 percent of the population owns nearly a quarter of all cultivable farmland. Such concentration of resources leaves the majority exposed, vulnerable, and effectively disposable.
Karachi is a city that burns repeatedly. Fire incidents occur almost every other day, yet emergency response systems remain dangerously inadequate. In the case of Gul Plaza, there was no nearby water supply, no functioning hydrants, and no timely rescue operation. Dozens of lives could have been saved if emergency services had arrived prepared and on time. This was not a natural disaster; it was the direct consequence of state negligence.
When the mayor of Karachi was asked what he had to say about the incident, his response was, “What can I say?” That statement alone captures the scale of institutional apathy. Accountability could have been taken. Emergency preparedness could have been improved. Instead, responsibility was dismissed, as though the deaths of ordinary citizens required no explanation.
Equally disturbing is the behavior of certain influencers who chose to continue their paid promotions rather than question those in power or amplify the voices of the victims. In moments like these, success should not be measured by fashion or luxury but by moral courage. Silence in the face of injustice is not neutrality; it is complicity.
According to the National Fire Conference 2024, Pakistan experiences an average of 1,800 to 2,000 fire incidents every year. This is no longer an exception but a recurring pattern. Yet public outrage remains muted. The question must be asked: why do such repeated tragedies fail to mobilize collective protest, pressure, or sustained resistance?
Following the 28th Amendment, Pakistan has increasingly shifted toward an authoritarian structure where dissent is restricted and accountability is selective. Members of Gen Z have attempted to mobilize public consciousness through grassroots efforts, only to see their digital spaces and platforms systematically shut down. Even online spaces are no longer secure for organizations or resistance.
This tragedy is not only about Gul Plaza. It is about a system that protects the powerful, neglects the vulnerable, and normalizes death through incompetence and indifference. Until accountability replaces apathy and public pressure replaces silence, such incidents will continue to be dismissed as unfortunate accidents instead of being recognized for what they truly are: failures of the state.
