KARACHI: In a heartfelt session on Monday, 23 relatives of the 33 people who died in the Gul Plaza fire gave their testimonies before a judicial tribunal. They accused firefighters and rescue teams of arriving late, running out of water, and lacking proper equipment and skills. They said the building's entry and exit points were shut, and rescue workers did not try to break walls or windows to save those trapped. Many witnesses cried while recounting their experiences at the Deputy Commissioner South Complex before Justice Agha Faisal of the Sindh High Court. Haleem told the tribunal his father died and his brother was injured after jumping from the burning building. He also said the fire caused a power outage, and firefighters struggled with water shortage. Mohammad Hanif said his two sons died and police baton-charged relatives gathering near the plaza. Qaiser, who lost his wife, son, and sister-in-law, claimed rescue teams refused to break walls to rescue people despite his requests. Taj Mohammad also blamed officials for neglect, stating only one gate was open while others were closed. Saima testified that she and her daughter-in-law waited outside for nine days with no rescue efforts. Other relatives like Shahnaz, Sanaullah, Abdul Hafeez, and Ahsan Ahmed shared similar stories of loss and criticism of the response. The tribunal gave witnesses a questionnaire on rescue timing, equipment, ambulance availability, police conduct, and roles of authorities. Officials from Karachi’s municipal and police departments, as well as utility companies, will testify in the next hearing scheduled for Wednesday. The investigation continues amid growing demands for accountability after the tragic January 17 fire.