President Muizzu Sends Condolences to Pakistan’s PM After Deadly Karachi Fire

President Dr Mohamed Muizzu has conveyed condolences to Pakistan’s Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif following a fatal fire that swept through a commercial building in Karachi, killing at least 23 people and leaving dozens missing.

In a message sent on Tuesday, President Muizzu expressed deep sorrow over the tragedy at Gul Plaza and extended sympathies to the Prime Minister, the government and the people of Pakistan on behalf of the Maldivian government and public. He also expressed solidarity with the bereaved families and offered prayers for the swift recovery of those injured and for the success of ongoing rescue and recovery efforts.

The fire, which broke out late on Saturday at Gul Plaza, a three-storey shopping centre housing more than 1,200 shops, is the deadliest in Karachi in over a decade, according to Al Jazeera. Authorities said it took more than 24 hours to fully extinguish the blaze, as firefighters battled repeated flare-ups during the cooling process.

Karachi Mayor Murtaza Wahab said a formal inquiry would be launched under the supervision of the city’s commissioner. Speaking to a private television channel on Monday night, Wahab confirmed that more than 60 people remain missing and that search operations are continuing even after the firefighting phase ended.

The government of Sindh province has announced compensation of 10 million Pakistani rupees (about US$35,000) for each family that lost a loved one in the incident. Rescue teams continue to search the building for survivors amid concerns that the death toll could rise further.