ISLAMABAD, Jan. 20 -- The deadly Gul Plaza fire in Karachi, which claimed at least 26 lives and left 81 people missing, echoed in the National Assembly on Tuesday as lawmakers called for stronger local governance to prevent similar tragedies.

Read More: Karachi rescue teams clear Gul Plaza basement after deadly fire

Defence Minister Khawaja Asif said the lack of fire-extinguishing systems highlights the need for mechanisms at the local level to address such issues. He added that while there was consensus on adopting an effective local government system, political wrangling had stalled constitutional amendments.

"The 18th Amendment has proven to be a hoax as all powers have been transferred to the provincial government," Asif said. He u...