KARACHI, Jan. 19 -- Salman Iqbal, President of the World Memon Organization (WMO), expressed deep sorrow over the loss of lives and missing persons in the devastating Gul Plaza fire, urging authorities to take immediate and decisive action.

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In a formal statement, Iqbal emphasized that Karachi's status as an economic hub cannot be sustained if basic safety systems and emergency response mechanisms repeatedly fail. He raised concerns over the delayed arrival of fire tenders and the critical shortage of water, which severely hampered rescue operations and resulted in the destruction of livelihoods for thousands of traders and laborers.

He noted that a significant m...