Federal and Sindh governments should take urgent steps to restore the businesses of affected traders, Salim Khan Tanoli.
KARACHI : CEO FAKT Muhammad Saleem Khan Tanoli, Director GPCCI expressed solidarity with the business community and said that the government should construct a building for the affected traders of Gul Plaza and compensate them for their losses. Muhammad Salim Khan Tanoli said that a commission should be established on the Gul Plaza fire to determine the damage and just as the victims of Bolton Market were given a grant of Rs 3 billion to compensate for their losses, similarly a grant should be announced for the rehabilitation of the victims of Gul Plaza and the damage should be compensated according to the report of the commission. He demanded from Karachi Mayor Murtaza Wahab that the fire safety of every building be adjusted. Expressing regret over the fire at the Gul Plaza Shopping Center and the death of more than 61 people, he said that the Labor Department, Fire Safety, and Civil Defense had failed to fulfill their responsibilities.
The government should conduct a transparent inquiry and the institutions or individuals whose negligence and incompetence are proven in the Gul Plaza tragedy should be given the strictest punishment. He said that similar incidents had also taken place in Bolton Market and Cooperative Market and that President of Pakistan Asif Ali Zardari had provided financial assistance to the victims of Bolton Market. We appeal to the federal and Sindh governments to take urgent steps to restore the businesses of the affected traders. He said that the business community will also fully cooperate with its affected community, however, ministers of the federal and provincial governments should take practical steps instead of statements. Muhammad Saleem Khan Tanoli said that the Supreme Court should take immediate suo motu action while the government should form a committee and include FPCCI, KCCI, Gul Plaza Association and other business representatives to immediately pay attention to the rehabilitation of the victims and provide full financial assistance. He said that more than 61 people died in the Gul Plaza tragedy and approximately 83 people are missing. Fire alarms are the most important thing to save human lives and whenever such accidents happen, the government makes statements that fire safety measures will be taken in commercial buildings, but then things go back to normal. He said that financial assistance should be provided to the victims and practical steps should be taken.
