The Deputy Commissioner (DC) South, Javed Nabi Khoso, confirmed on Wednesday that the death toll from the Gul Plaza collapse has risen to 28.
Speaking to the media in Karachi, he provided an update on the ongoing rescue and search operations, which are being conducted with extreme caution due to the building’s technical instability.
The Deputy Commissioner revealed that 85 individuals are still reported missing. Out of these, the last known locations of 39 people have been traced to the Gul Plaza building.
“We are using both heavy machinery and manual labor to remove debris,” Khoso stated. “There are parts of the building that remain inaccessible. Until we account for every single missing person, the structure will not be demolished.”
Of the 28 deceased, 17 bodies recovered from the rubble are yet to be identified. Efforts are underway to complete the identification process as quickly as possible.
Rescuers are facing immense difficulties as smoke and intense heat still linger within the ruins. A cooling process is currently active to allow teams to penetrate deeper into the structure.
The neighboring Rempa Plaza has been temporarily sealed. Authorities have requested building maps and relevant documentation from the Sindh Building Control Authority (SBCA) to assess the safety of the surrounding area.
A dedicated information desk has been operational since day one to assist families of the victims and the missing.
DC Khoso emphasized that the administration is not rushing the process, stating, “This is a matter of human lives. Once the search operation is 100% complete, the remaining structure of the building will be demolished.”
