KARACHI: The Sindh government on Thursday announced that a judicial inquiry will be conducted into the deadly Gul Plaza fire, which claimed at least 80 lives. Sindh Senior Minister and Information Minister Sharjeel Inam Memon said the Sindh High Court (SHC) would be approached to appoint a serving judge to thoroughly review the incident and determine responsibility.
Addressing a press conference in Karachi alongside Additional IG Azad Khan and Commissioner Hassan Naqvi, Memon said a cabinet sub-committee chaired by Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah had reviewed a detailed report prepared by a fact-finding team.
“To ensure transparency and accountability, we are requesting the chief justice of the Sindh High Court to nominate a judge for a judicial inquiry,” he said.
According to initial findings, the fire was not an act of arson. Police said the blaze started in a flower shop when an 11-year-old child, left alone at the shop, lit matches while playing with another child, causing the fire.
“There is no evidence of sabotage or terrorism. It was an accident,” AIG Azad Khan said, adding that eyewitnesses and the children themselves confirmed the sequence of events.
Memon said between 2,000 and 2,500 people were present inside Gul Plaza when the fire erupted. While many managed to escape, 80 people lost their lives, most of them trapped on the mezzanine floor due to narrow exits and the absence of proper emergency routes.
The cabinet sub-committee found serious negligence on the part of several departments. It revealed that the Civil Defence Department had conducted multiple fire safety audits of Gul Plaza since 2023 and had warned the building management twice about inadequate safety arrangements. However, no corrective or legal action was taken.
As a result, the Director and Director General of Civil Defence, along with the South district additional controller, were suspended with immediate effect. Departmental proceedings have been initiated against them, and further action will be taken if other officials are found responsible.
The committee also observed delays in supplying water to fire tenders, which hampered rescue operations by the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) Fire Brigade and Rescue 1122. Consequently, the chief engineer (bulk) and the hydrants incharge of the Karachi Water and Sewerage Corporation (KWSC) were also suspended.
Additionally, KMC Municipal Commissioner Afzal Zaidi had been removed from his post on the first day of the incident, while the KMC municipal services senior director was also suspended for failing to ensure adequate preparedness of firefighting staff.
Despite limited equipment and resources, Memon praised the bravery of firefighters, noting that firefighter Furqan Shaukat lost his life during the rescue operation.
The sub-committee further found that Gul Plaza’s building management did not have adequate firefighting systems in place and had violated the approved building plan, restricting firefighting access and endangering public safety. The role of the building management will now be scrutinised under the ongoing police investigation, and legal action will be taken if violations are proven.
Serious discrepancies were also found in building approvals and lease records issued by the Sindh Building Control Authority (SBCA) and KMC between 1979 and 2015. The Anti-Corruption Establishment has been directed to examine these irregularities and initiate legal proceedings.
Sharjeel Inam Memon said the government had accepted its own shortcomings and was committed to reforms.
“We are answerable to the public, not any political party. This tragedy involves 80 precious lives, and we want a transparent process,” he said.
The minister also announced that a needs assessment would be carried out immediately to upgrade firefighting capacity across the province, focusing on equipment, training, manpower and infrastructure. He added that the chief minister plans to integrate Rescue 1122, Civil Defence and the KMC Fire Brigade under a single command structure for better emergency response.
An FIR has been registered to determine individual responsibility, assess negligence and establish whether fire safety measures were in place.
Sharjeel rejected claims of political pressure and said all findings would be presented before the judicial commission.
“Let the court decide who is responsible,” he said.
