A tragedy struck Karachi on Saturday when a fire broke out at Gul Plaza, a multi-storey commercial complex housing around 1,200 shops and spread across an area larger than a football field. The blaze, which later turned into a massive inferno and took nearly three days to be fully extinguished, left behind heartbreaking stories as firefighters and rescue personnel continued to recover bodies from the smoldering debris. So far, 23 people have been confirmed dead, while 65 remain missing.
Among the victims was a brave firefighter from Karachi who lost his life while trying to rescue others. Furqan Ali, 38, who had been married for just over a year, is survived by his widow and six-month-old son. He also leaves behind two brothers and four sisters.
According to his relatives, Furqan was deployed at Gul Plaza when he made the ultimate sacrifice while attempting to save civilians trapped inside the building.
His sisters said he was like a father figure to them and their only pillar of support.
Family members said Furqan had dreamed of seeing his son grow up and hoped to make him a lawyer. “He could not even see his son’s first birthday,” one relative said.
His brother recalled that he last met Furqan in the evening and spoke to him on the phone the following morning.
“That was the last contact. After that, there was no call,” he said, adding that Furqan was raised and cared for “like a child of our own.”
The family has appealed to the government to provide a job to Furqan’s widow and take responsibility for their child’s education.
Karachi Mayor Murtaza Wahab later visited the residence of martyred firefighter Furqan Ali and offered condolences to the bereaved family.
The mayor announced financial assistance of Rs100 million for the family and paid tribute to Furqan’s bravery, calling his sacrifice a shining example of courage, dedication and sense of duty.
