PPP Senator Sherry Rehman on Monday said that there was no need to politicise the fire which broke out in Karachi?s Gul Plaza shopping mall, saying that it was a ?lesson for all of us?.
She made the remarks in the Senate after Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) Senator Khalida Ateeb called the House?s attention to the incident, lambasting the Sindh government for its negligence.
Calling the incident ?heartbreaking?, Rehman said that there could be no compensation for all of the lives lost in the incident.
She asserted that the entire Sindh government was active and dealing with the situation. However, she conceded that the fire brigade took time to reach the site after the fire broke out as there was a large crowd gathered at the scene.
She added that Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah had announced Rs10m as compensation for the affected families.
?Shutting down private enterprise is harmful since this is such a big plaza. But fire safety is necessary for a city like Karachi and one should ask the administration of Gul Plaza about how it happened since they run the market,? she added.
?I am not giving excuses; it was a huge lesson for all of us. It was a tragedy for the whole of Pakistan, not only for Karachi or Sindh,? she said.
?It was a big and tragic incident but there is no need for pointing fingers or engaging in politics,? she stated.
?If there is any aid or assistance that they (the MQM) can extend to us, then I urge them to do that but sadly, it will be politicised,? Senator Rehman added. ?Our doors are open for both relief and criticism.?
In her remarks, Ateeb took aim at the Sindh government and highlighted that there were no safety or emergency measures at Gul Plaza.
?The whole building collapsed and there was no emergency exit,? she highlighted. ?Whose responsibility is this? If people are saying the fire brigade turned up too late, then how did the building authority allow 1,200 shops in a space which only allows for 500??
?Permission is granted to build the mall but all the things needed for such a building need to be considered,? she emphasised.
?Windows were shut because of air conditioners and were either blocked by items or had grills so people were unable to escape,? she added.
Senator Ateeb stated that the government was responsible for failing to ensure safety measures.
?The government says they will compensate the victims? families for the damages, but there is no compensation for the lives lost,? she said.
?The people of Karachi are drowning in sorrow right now, yet we are here passing bills and giving speeches on different subjects. This needs to be our priority: the city which gives nearly 70 per cent in taxes to the Centre,? she said.
More to follow
No comments yet. Be the first to comment!