When tragedy struck Karachi’s bustling Gul Plaza shopping complex on the night of January 17, 2026, hundreds of traders saw their livelihoods reduced to ashes. A fierce blaze tore through the multistorey commercial centre, destroying more than 1,000 shops and claiming at least 73 lives, according to official accounts.
In the aftermath of this catastrophic fire, Daraz Pakistan, a leading e-commerce marketplace and Alibaba Group subsidiary, launched a timely relief initiative to help affected sellers rebuild and regain economic footing.
Under the company’s Daraz Cares social impact programme, a dedicated section will be added on the Daraz app and website to spotlight products from traders who lost physical inventory in the blaze. This online space is designed to help customers discover these sellers and support their recovery by shopping from them across Pakistan.
“Gul Plaza has never been just a marketplace; it has been a place of livelihoods, relationships, and decades of hard work,” said Ehsan Saya, Managing Director of Daraz Pakistan. “What has happened is heartbreaking. Our focus now is to stand with these entrepreneurs in a way that is practical and compassionate.”
Beyond visibility, Daraz will provide hands-on onboarding support, targeted training for online selling, warehouse space for inventory storage, and subsidised delivery options to help sellers restart operations quickly. The company also plans to extend free marketing support through its digital assets to drive visibility and sales momentum for affected traders.
A three-month support track will keep these efforts active through the crucial commercial periods of Ramadan and Eid, when demand typically spikes. Organisers hope this targeted timeframe will help sellers stabilise and return to growth after suffering severe disruption.
Gul Plaza was more than a shop-filled building; it acted as a key economic hub for small businesses and entrepreneurs, including home-based producers and suppliers who routed products through its thousands of vendors. The fire not only destroyed stock and premises but also disrupted supply chains and customer relationships built over years.
In response, voices across social media called on the public to support the Gul Plaza affectees, urging solidarity with families and traders still reeling from loss.
Daraz’s initiative blends corporate reach with community impact — offering practical tools meant to help sellers re-emerge from devastation and reconnect with customers nationwide.
