1.5kg gold found during Gul Plaza inferno clearance operation

Debris removal operations are ongoing at Karachi’s Gul Plaza following the deadly fire incident, officials said on Thursday.

According to Deputy Commissioner South Javed Nabi Khoso, around 1.5 kilograms of gold were recovered during the clearance work. He said the gold was found in a section of the building where a jewellery shop had been operating and was later handed over to the shop owner.

Meanwhile, Police Surgeon Dr Samia Syed said that samples of 71 human remains and bodies have so far been collected. She added that the identities of 16 victims have been confirmed through DNA testing.

Dr Syed said the identification process has become complicated due to severe burns sustained by the bodies, making it difficult to share further details at this stage.

Separately, Tanveer Pasta, president of the Gul Plaza Management Committee, claimed that the incident caused losses exceeding Rs10 billion, adding that the bodies of some victims are still missing.

Director General Rescue 1122 said that around 10 to 15 per cent of the building remains inaccessible so far, and search operations will continue in those areas during the day.