KARACHI(National Times)- In the Gul Plaza tragedy case, police surgeon Dr. Samia has submitted her responses to the commission’s questionnaire. Dr. Samia stated that the deaths in the Gul Plaza incident were primarily caused by smoke inhalation and fire. She reported that a total of eight injured individuals were brought in for medical treatment, while 73 bodies and remains were recovered from the scene. She explained that seven bodies were complete, while 66 remains were severely burned. Post-mortem examinations indicated that the primary cause of death was suffocation, and most of the remains were fully charred, making a complete post-mortem impossible. Based on available evidence, it is likely that the victims were alive when the fire broke out.

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The report further noted that minor injuries were observed on the complete bodies. These injuries did not correspond to stampedes, building collapse, or major accidents. However, the staggered removal of bodies suggested that victims were trapped inside the building for a prolonged period. According to Dr. Samia, samples were collected to examine the presence of toxic gases or chemicals, while toxicology reports are still pending. All medicolegal reports of the bodies have been submitted to the relevant authorities.