MQM Supremo Altaf Hussain calls for 80 firefighting stations in Karachi; demands judicial probe into Gul Plaza tragedy
LONDON. [UK]. Jan 24: Emphasizing Karachi’s rapidly growing population and vast geographical spread, MQM founding leader, Altaf Hussain has called for the establishment of 80 fire stations across the city, stating that the existing emergency infrastructure is grossly inadequate for a metropolis of over 40 million people.
In his 382nd speech vis TikTok, Hussain noted that despite Karachi being larger than many countries in terms of population and area, the city currently has only 28 fire stations, many of which are either partially functional or non-operational.
He said that not only Karachi but the entire province of Sindh is suffering from administrative breakdown, corruption, and severe irregularities across departments.
Drawing parallels with so-called “ghost schools,” he alleged the existence of ghost fire stations and ghost employees who exist only on paper while continuing to draw salaries.
Hussain described the fire brigade as a critically important department responsible for saving lives and property but accused the Sindh government of undermining it through nepotism and mismanagement.
He pointed out that the current Chief Fire Officer of Karachi was transferred from another department two years ago and appointed on a temporary basis, despite lacking professional experience in fire services.
Meanwhile, several senior and experienced fire brigade officers with decades of service were overlooked.
Terming the situation a combination of nepotism, bribery, and institutional decay, he further stated that fire brigade personnel are neither provided regular training drills nor equipped with modern firefighting tools and protective gear.
Recalling his earlier tenure, Hussain said that in 1988, steps were taken to increase the strength of the fire brigade and modern equipment, including snorkels, was imported from abroad. He reiterated his demand for equipping Karachi’s fire services with modern vehicles, advanced firefighting equipment, and proper safety gear, while calling for an end to corruption and theft within the department.
Separately, Hussain demanded high-level judicial investigations into the Gul Plaza tragedy, asserting that accountability must extend beyond government institutions to include the Gul Plaza union.
He questioned why the plaza gates were closed while shops were open, where the security staff was at the time of the incident, and what emergency protocols the union had in place.
Expressing solidarity with the victims, he demanded full compensation for all affected individuals, stating that justice and accountability were essential to prevent such tragedies in the future.
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