KARACHI: The tragedy of the Gul Plaza fire deepened as rescue teams recovered at least 30 bodies from a mezzanine-floor shop on Wednesday, raising the death toll from the city’s deadliest blaze in over a decade to 60, with dozens still missing.

The discovery was made after rescue teams moved to the mezzanine floor, following a pause in operations on the first and second floors.

DIG South Syed Asad Raza said all 30 bodies were found inside a single crockery shop on the mezzanine floor. He added that the rescue operation will move to its next phase once the bodies are transported to the hospital.

While initial reports suggested 20 to 25 bodies were inside the shop, DIG Raza confirmed the total number was 30. With the discovery at the shop, the death toll from the inferno rose to 60.

Following the discovery, the DIG South formed a special team to move the bodies to the Civil Hospital.

Rescue teams — including Rescue 1122, Edhi officials, Rangers, and Chhipa volunteers — were pulled back from the building, while a large number of ambulances were dispatched for the operation.

Police quickly cordoned off the area, with additional personnel called in to ensure smooth operations. Authorities, meanwhile, remained uncertain whether the recovered bodies were those of shopkeepers, workers, or customers.

Today, operations were concentrated on the third floor; however, around 2pm, efforts were temporarily paused, and teams were redirected to search the mezzanine floor.

Shop No. 144, where the bodies were discovered, was identified with the help of a shopkeeper who had seen people entering the shop during the incident.

The victims reportedly took refuge inside the shop after a stampede erupted in the mall during the fire’s initial moments.

Many others inside the building had sought shelter in shops, corners, and under sheds, as most of the shopping centre’s exits were closed when the fire broke out.

Earlier, water bowsers and other heavy machinery on the first and second floors were temporarily stopped from operating to allow access to the mezzanine level.

Meanwhile, Karachi South deputy commissioner noted that several areas of the building have not yet been cleared and that rescue operations in those sections will begin later in the day.

Royal family shared sad news about the passing of the King of Sweden’s sister in an emotional statement.

On January 21, it was reported that Princess Désirée, Baroness Silfverschiöld, had died “peacefully and quietly” at her home in Koberg in Västergötland.

The 87-year-old Princess was surrounded by her family and loved ones at the time of her death.

King Carl XVI Gustaf shared a heartfelt message, remembering his sister and the shared memories he had with her.

“It is with great sadness that I have received the information that my sister, Princess Désirée, has passed away.

“Many are the warm family memories that have been created at the home of the Silfverschiöld family in Västergötland – a place in Sweden that came to mean a lot to my sister. My family and I today extend our condolences to Princess Désirée’s children and their families.”

It is important to note that Princess Désirée was the widow of Baron Niclas Silfverschiöld.

Tributes poured in on social media, with one fan commenting, “Rest in peace, warm thoughts to loved ones.”

“My sincere condolences to the entire family,” another penned. 

Allah Rakha Rahman, known as A.R. Rahman, one of the finest composers in the music industry has sparked heavy criticism from Hindu ring-wing voices following his recent comments regarding alleged communal bias in Bollywood.

The 59-year-old Kun Faya Kun composer shared his views on ‘lost work’ in the industry during an interview. 

‘People who are not creative have the power now to decide things, and this might have been a communal thing also but not in my face,’ Rahman told the BBC Asian Network online in the interview aired on Wednesday.

‘It comes to me as Chinese whispers that they booked you, but the music company went ahead and hired their five composers. I said, ‘Oh, that’s great, rest for me. I can chill out with my family,’” he said in the 90-minute interview.

Right-wing commentators and activists questioned Rahman’s patriotism and talent, accusing him of playing the “victim card”.

Vinod Bansal from the far-right organisation Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) demanded an apology from Rahman for “defaming” the country.“

We are proud of him and whatever he has done for the country. But for someone who has earned his living from the Indian industry, the way he is trying to defame the country is highly objectionable,” he told Al Jazeera.

Amid the controversy, the composer stepped forward to clarify his stance following a stream of media trolling. 

 In a video posted to his Instagram account, Rahman said: ‘I understand that intentions can sometimes be misunderstood, but my purpose has always been to uplift, honour and serve through music.’

He stressed that he remained grateful to the nation and noted that he had thanked Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his support of India’s entertainment industry. 

For those unversed, the legendary artist has won some of the world’s most coveted musical awards – including Oscars, Grammys and a Golden Globe. 

His song Jai Ho which won him an Oscar, became a celebrated anthem.

The Oscar winner’s  1997 song Maa Tujhe Salam on his album Vande Mataram was seen as unifying the diverse nation of 1.4 billion people.

A.R. Rahman’s blockbusters span Bollywood and Tamil cinema, featuring iconic hits like Chaiyya Chaiyya, Jai Ho, Dil Se Re, Tu Hi Re, and many more.