Rescue Continues at Gul Plaza; Demolition Only After All Missing Persons Are Traced, Says DC South

PAKISTAN – Karachi

Deputy Commissioner South Javed Nabi Khoso has said that the damaged building cannot be demolished as long as even one person remains missing, adding that the entire structure will only be brought down after completion of the rescue and search operation.

Talking to the media in Karachi, the deputy commissioner said that rescue operations at Gul Plaza continued for the fifth consecutive day, while efforts were also underway to expedite the identification of the recovered bodies.

DEPUTY COMMISSIONER SOUTH

He said the death toll had risen to 28, while identification of 17 individuals recovered from the debris was still pending. So far, the identification process of 11 victims has been completed. According to him, 85 people are listed as missing, and search efforts are ongoing.

The DC South said that the location data of 39 missing persons had been traced to Gul Plaza; however, there are certain parts of the building that rescuers have not yet been able to access. He added that debris is being removed from the collapsed portions of the building, both through machinery and manual efforts, though significant difficulties are being faced in lifting the fallen structure.

He further stated that smoke and heat are still present inside the building, necessitating cooling operations. “Search operations have been carried out in all accessible areas, and rescue and search work is continuing while keeping technical considerations in view,” he said.

Javed Khoso added that the list of 85 missing persons includes some duplicate names, which are currently being verified. He stressed that no haste is being shown, as the matter involves human lives. “Until even a single missing person remains unaccounted for, the building cannot be demolished. Once all procedures are completed, the entire structure will be brought down,” he reiterated.

The deputy commissioner also said that the adjacent Rampa Plaza has been temporarily sealed. He added that building plans and related documents of Rampa Plaza have been sought from the Sindh Building Control Authority (SBCA). – ER News Desk

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