Shivani Sharma Reports: 14 Dead, 70 Missing In Massive Karachi Gul Plaza Fire

On this Special Report, India Today reporter Shivani Sharma provides a ground update on the devastating fire at the Gul Plaza market in Karachi. The blaze, which started on Saturday night, raged for over 33 hours before being doused by rescue teams. Shivani Sharma notes that '14 dead bodies have been recovered' and approximately 70 people remain missing as the building has been completely gutted. The fire has destroyed around 1,000 shops in the heart of Karachi, leaving the structure in a state of collapse. Families of victims, including those searching for children Haider Ali and Khizar Ali, expressed their anguish as rescuers now resort to hammering down walls and cutting windows to search for survivors or remains amidst the ruins. The report highlights the alleged shortcomings in the authorities' response, noting that the fire extinguishing reaction was 'quite pathetic' as the inferno continued for 36 hours, leaving nothing left inside the three-storey building.