Demands for Karachi Mayor’s resignation intensify after mall fire kills 60

January 22, 2026

Islamabad: The Human Rights Council (HRC) of Pakistan staged a protest outside the Karachi Press Club, demanding the immediate resignation of Karachi Mayor Murtaza Wahab and strict legal action against those responsible for the Gul Plaza shopping mall fire, which claimed at least 60 lives and left many others injured. The massive fire, which broke out on the night of January 17, sparked widespread public outrage, with citizens criticizing the Sindh government and the Karachi Mayor for delayed emergency response.

HRC calls fire a result of criminal negligence

Addressing the protesters, HRC Chairman Jamshed Hussain described the fire as “not merely an accident, but criminal negligence by concerned institutions and a grave violation of human rights.” He highlighted that the death of over 60 people and the disappearance of dozens more exposes the failure of the Pakistani government system. The HRC criticized the provincial government’s announcement of one crore rupees per victim as “extremely insufficient” and demanded the formation of a credible investigation committee to identify the responsible officials and take concrete legal action.

Demand for accountability and compensation

The HRC urged Karachi Mayor Murtaza Wahab to resign immediately for administrative failures and criticized the Sindh Building Control Authority (SBCA) and Fire Brigade officers for their lack of preparedness. HRC Karachi Division President Bashir Daras called the tragedy a result of institutional incompetence and demanded full financial compensation for affected traders and best medical facilities for the injured at government expense. The council warned that if justice is not delivered immediately, protests would be expanded further.