E-commerce giant Daraz on Monday announced an initiative to help sellers affected by the Gul Plaza inferno by launching a dedicated section on its website to sell their products and goods.
The deadly inferno, which erupted on the night of January 17 at the mall and took nearly two days to be fully extinguished, claimed at least 73 lives and left over 1,100 shops in ruins. Efforts to scour through the debris for the remains of the dead are still underway.
In a press release on Saturday, Daraz said it is mobilising platform and ecosystem support for the affected traders by providing “onboarding, storage solutions, marketing enablement, and dedicated incubation over the next three months”.
“Daraz Pakistan, under its Daraz Cares arm, has announced a dedicated support initiative for sellers impacted by the recent fire at Gul Plaza in Karachi, aimed at helping affected businesses regain stability and continue serving customers across Pakistan,” the press release read.
Daraz Cares is Daraz’s social impact arm, focused on mobilising the company’s platform, resources, and partnerships to support communities in times of need, according to the e-commerce platform.
“Through this initiative, Daraz Pakistan will launch a dedicated segment and page on its platform (app and desktop) for sellers impacted by the incident, helping customers discover and support their businesses as they rebuild,” it added.
Daraz said it would facilitate onboarding impacted sellers and provide targeted training to help them restart operations online with ease. It added that it would also provide warehouse space for traders requiring storage for existing or incoming inventory and offer subsidised delivery.
“In addition, Daraz Pakistan will extend free on-site and digital marketing support by leveraging its owned assets to help affected sellers gain reach and momentum,” the press release added.
“A dedicated incubation and support track will also be introduced to provide hands-on guidance and continued assistance to impacted businesses as they stabilise over time.”
The press release stated that support would continue over the next three months to help affected traders recover and sustain their businesses through the upcoming Ramazan and Eid season.
The press release recognised Gul Plaza’s important role as a business hub and how it aided the entrepreneurs powering commerce in the country.
“Over the last decade of Daraz in Pakistan, the marketplace has also been an important part of Daraz’s broader seller ecosystem, supporting a wide network of direct and indirect sellers, including home-based entrepreneurs who procure from there and deliver products to customers nationwide,” the company stated.
“For many families and small businesses, the incident has not only disrupted trade but also placed livelihoods and working routines under immense strain,” the press release added.
Daraz Managing Director Ehsan Saya was quoted as saying, “Gul Plaza has never been just a marketplace; it has been a place of livelihoods, relationships, and decades of hard work.
“Many of the sellers connected to it were among the earliest to bring their businesses onto Daraz and learn how to serve customers far beyond Karachi.”
Calling the Gul Plaza blaze “heartbreaking”, Saya said that the company’s focus was on standing with these entrepreneurs “in a way that is practical and compassionate” and to use Daraz’s reach to help them rebuild and move forward.
In the press release, Daraz encouraged affected traders and sellers to register and share their details to establish a connection with the relevant support track. They were urged to register on their website or through their usual Daraz Seller Support channels.
“Daraz Pakistan’s thoughts remain with everyone affected by the tragedy, including families who have suffered loss and those awaiting news,” the press release concluded.
