In Karachi, search and rescue operations continued on the ninth day of the Gul Plaza tragedy, with the number of fatalities rising to 73.
Despite the passage of nine days since the incident, search and rescue activities inside the building are still underway. Teams from various government departments remain engaged in clearing debris and locating missing persons.
According to South Deputy Commissioner Javed Nabi Khoso, the search operation has nearly reached its final stage and the building will be officially sealed tomorrow. He stated that initially 82 individuals were reported missing, and anyone who still has a loved one unaccounted for may contact the authorities. He added that relatives of 13 missing persons have not yet provided DNA samples.
The deputy commissioner confirmed that 23 out of the 73 deceased individuals have been identified so far.
The University of Karachi’s DNA laboratory has issued DNA reports for 16 individuals, while the identities of 23 victims have been confirmed overall.
Rescue officials reported that additional human remains of two more individuals were recovered from the debris and have been shifted to a hospital for DNA testing.
A research team from NED University inspected various sections of the plaza, the urban search operation team marked areas where searches were completed, and an eight-member delegation from the Punjab Forensic Science Agency also visited the site.
The South Deputy Commissioner said that a case has been registered due to the seriousness of the incident, while SSP City Arif Aziz stated that statements are being recorded following the registration of the case.
Meanwhile, families of the missing remain deeply distressed, with parents, siblings, and relatives anxiously awaiting information about their loved ones. Female students from various universities also visited Gul Plaza to express solidarity with the affected families.
