In a major development in the Gul Plaza fire tragedy, the remains of 30 additional victims have been successfully identified, raising the total number of identified victims to 69 out of 72. The breakthrough has brought long-awaited closure to many grieving families who have been waiting for answers since the devastating incident.

According to Amir Hassan, head of the Identification Project, the latest identifications were made using an innovative and meticulous process that combined ante-mortem data, which confirms a victim’s presence at the scene, with supporting evidence such as mobile phone location records and post-mortem findings. Hassan described the process as complex, requiring careful coordination between multiple data sources to ensure absolute accuracy.

With the identifications confirmed, the remains are now being handed over to families from the Edhi morgue, allowing them to finally perform last rites with dignity. Hassan noted that this method has offered families the chance to bury their loved ones properly, something many feared might never happen. In some cases, relatives personally retrieved remains from specific shops inside Gul Plaza, where the location of recovery matched shop addresses.

Among those identified were three members of a family from North Nazimabad, Umar Nabeel, his wife Dr Ayesha, and their son Ali, who had visited Gul Plaza for shopping.

The newly identified victims include Muhammad Kamran, Hamza, Abdul Samad, Muhammad Adnan, Muhammad Mohsin, Hasan Ali, Sheikh Khurram Taimur Jilani, Jahangir Shah Pracha, Mudassir, Haider Ali, Saad, Muhammad Faizan, Raheela Tabassum, Kantat, Shaisha, Aftab, Islam-ul-Haq, Muhammad Asif Khan, Muhammad Ramzan, Muhammad Anas, Muhammad Bilal, Imran, Shiraz Ali, Asim Saeed, Muhammad Abrar, Muhammad Saleem, Muhammad Faisal, Naveed Panvani, Abdul Hameed, and Sheikh Salman.

With only three victims still awaiting identification, Hassan reaffirmed that efforts would continue until every victim is accounted for, ensuring no family is left without closure.

This tragedy shook all of us, and the grief it caused will live on in our hearts. On January 17, 2026, it was not just Gul Plaza that was engulfed in flames, the entire city of Karachi was burning.

Credit: Independent News Pakistan (INP)