The Sindh government has issued a formal notification announcing key progress in the Gul Plaza fire case, following directives from the home minister. An inquiry commission headed by the Sindh High Court’s (SHC) Justice Agha Faisal has been constituted to investigate the incident.
According to the statement issued by the home minister’s spokesman Sohail Ahmed Jokhio, the commission would examine the legality of the Gul Plaza’s construction approvals and its lease status, along with violations of the approved building plan and the obstacles that may have hindered emergency evacuation.
The commission will also review firefighting arrangements and identify lapses in fire safety audits. It will also investigate the causes and circumstances of the fire, and assess the pace and effectiveness of the rescue operation. The home minister has ordered fixing the responsibility on negligent government officials and the building management where necessary. The commission has been tasked with completing its investigation within eight weeks. The Karachi commissioner has been directed to provide full secretariat and administrative support to the inquiry commission.
The provincial government has reiterated that relief and assistance to the affected families would not face any delay, saying that strict and effective investigations would be carried out to bring facts to light.
The Gul Plaza fire was one of the deadliest commercial building fires reported in the city in recent years. The blaze erupted at the multi-storey shopping mall located on MA Jinnah Road, rapidly engulfing large portions of the building and trapping people inside.
Thick smoke, extreme heat and the collapse of internal sections severely hampered rescue efforts. Initial rescue operations faced major challenges due to narrow access points, blocked staircases and the absence of functional emergency exits.
Firefighters struggled to control the flames as the fire spread vertically, raising serious questions about the building’s fire safety preparedness and structural compliance. Dozens of people were killed in the incident, while several others suffered injuries.
Many victims were workers and shoppers present inside the building at the time of the fire. The tragedy triggered widespread concern over the enforcement of building regulations, fire safety audits and emergency response mechanisms in the city’s densely populated commercial areas.
Subsequent reports highlighted alleged violations of approved building plans, the absence of proper fire safety systems and delays in evacuation. The incident prompted calls for accountability, comprehensive investigations and systemic reforms to prevent similar disasters.
