Don’t play politics on dead bodies,’ Sharjeel Memon tells MQM

KARACHI: Sindh Senior Minister Sharjeel Inam Memon on Thursday accused certain political parties of politicising the tragic Gul Plaza fire, urging them to show restraint and solidarity with the victims instead of turning the incident into a political contest.

Addressing a press conference, Memon said the Sindh government had exercised “extreme patience” despite what he termed continuous criticism and point-scoring following the deadly blaze.

“Criticism is every political party’s right, but turning human tragedies into political narratives is unacceptable,” he said.

His remarks came after MQM leader Mustafa Kamal demanded greater federal control over Karachi and questioning the effectiveness of provincial governance, while also calling for a rollback of the 18th Constitutional Amendment in the wake of the Gul Plaza incident.

Responding to those remarks, Memon questioned the logic behind linking the tragedy to constitutional changes.

“Will ending the 18th Amendment or handing Karachi over to the federation prevent such incidents?” he asked, adding that it was concerning how the amendment was being criticised immediately after the tragedy.

The senior minister alleged that the same political party now speaking on governance had a violent past.

Referring to past incidents, he said the Baldia factory fire and the killings on May 12 were reminders of how violence had once been used for political ends. “Such statements do not suit those whose hands are stained with blood,” he said.

Memon also criticised Mustafa Kamal for failing to visit the victims’ families, questioning the selective display of humanity. “When bodies were being returned in sacks, no one spoke of compassion,” he said.

He maintained that the Sindh government’s priority since the incident had been rescue, relief and recovery.

“From day one, our focus has been on retrieving bodies from the debris and handing them over to families,” he said, adding that 86 people were initially reported missing and identification of bodies through DNA testing was under way.

Memon confirmed that one firefighter lost his life while battling the blaze and said the government stood with his family.

He also assured traders affected by the fire that the provincial government would help them rebuild, regardless of whether their shops were legally documented or not.

“The government will not abandon the affected traders,” he said, adding that the Karachi Chamber of Commerce had been asked to independently assess the losses so compensation could be determined transparently.

He said similar support had been extended to traders during previous fire incidents, including at the Timber Market, and reiterated that the government would not retreat from its responsibilities now.

Calling for an end to political rhetoric, Memon urged all parties to temporarily set aside politics and express solidarity with the victims of the Gul Plaza tragedy.

“We will not fall into MQM’s trap,” he said, stressing that investigations would be carried out and any action taken would be substantive, not cosmetic.

“The government wants to ensure such incidents never happen again,” Memon said, adding that accountability would follow once investigations were completed.