Karachi electronics' traders slam Sindh governor, CM and mayor for neglecting them after Saddar market blaze'

KARACHI: Traders in Karachi’s bustling electronics hub have voiced strong criticism against the Sindh government, Governor Kamran Tessori, Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah, and Karachi Mayor Murtaza Wahab for what they termed as “complete negligence” following a devastating fire at the Aamir Electronics Market in Saddar.

The blaze, which erupted on Monday afternoon, gutted over 40 shops and several warehouses, with financial losses estimated at more than Rs1 billion ($3.6 million), according to MinHajj Gulfaam, President of the Karachi Mobile and Electronics Dealers Association (KMEDA).

Batteries, solar panels, mobile accessories, and other high-value inventories were reduced to ashes as the fire swiftly engulfed large parts of the market. Traders said the inferno spread so rapidly that there was little time to salvage stock.

Gulfaam demanded immediate compensation from the government, urging authorities to coordinate with trade bodies to help affected shopkeepers restart their businesses.

“We also demand that our associations be equipped with proper firefighting systems, just like many industrial zones have. Preventive measures are urgently needed,” he emphasized.

While initial reports suggest an electrical short circuit may have sparked the blaze, some eyewitnesses alleged that garbage being burned in an adjacent empty plot could have been the trigger. An official investigation is still awaited.

Shopkeepers also complained about delayed response by the fire brigade, saying that by the time firefighting teams arrived, the flames had already caused massive damage. They highlighted the recurring issue of inadequate fire safety in commercial hubs and called for the establishment of dedicated firefighting units for Karachi’s dense marketplaces.

Karachi has witnessed several similar incidents in recent years. In April 2023, a fire devastated the Cooperative Market, while in August 2022, a mobile phone market near Saddar suffered a similar fate.