Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah has announced a relief, compensation, and reconstruction package for the victims of the Gul Plaza tragedy. He also acknowledged negligence and shortcomings during the deadly incident and assured accountability through formal investigations.
Addressing the Sindh Assembly, the Chief Minister admitted that there were failures and lapses, which will be corrected. He said that all concrete actions will emerge through comprehensive investigations. Murad Ali Shah stated that compensation for the families of those who lost their lives was announced on the very first day of the tragedy. He added that no amount of money can replace a human life, but funds have been released, and the commissioner has been directed to complete verification and ensure payments are made to the legal heirs without delay.
He said a traders’ committee has been formed to assess the losses of affected shopkeepers and oversee compensation payments. As immediate relief, each shopkeeper will receive Rs 500,000 to help restart their businesses.
To ensure business continuity, the Chief Minister said that two alternative commercial buildings have been identified, containing a total of 850 shops. He added that the owners have agreed to waive rent for one year. The provincial government will allocate the shops within two months and will try to keep them rent free for two years.
Murad Ali Shah also announced the launch of a major financial support scheme through the Sindh Enterprise Development Fund Limited, under which each affected shopkeeper will be eligible for loans of up to Rs 10 million. The Sindh government will act as a guarantor and bear the interest cost.
He further announced that Gul Plaza will be demolished and rebuilt within two years. He assured the assembly that the reconstructed building will have the same number of shops as before, with no additional commercial units added.
He added that investigations are ongoing to determine the causes of the fire and fix responsibility, and stressed that once the findings are final, accountability will be ensured.
