The Sindh government has set up a judicial commission to investigate the Gul Plaza fire tragedy, with Justice Agha Faisal nominated by the SHC to initiate the inquiry.
The Sindh government had written to the SHC chief justice on January 29 seeking the formation of a judicial commission to probe into the deadly fire at the shopping centre in Karachi last month that claimed 80 lives.
The commission will investigate the tragedy and ascertain the causes of the fire, stated a letter sent from the high court in response to the provincial government.
The letter further notes that the high court was considering the request of the Sindh govt, along with the terms of reference for the judicial commission. It added that the tenure of the commission will be fixed by the Sindh govt.
The Sindh Home Department issued a notification regarding the terms of reference (ToRs) of the judicial commission formed to comprehensively investigate the Gul Plaza tragedy.
According to the notification, the commission will review the approval of the building and the extension of its lease by the Sindh Building Control Authority (SBCA).
It will also examine whether any violations were committed in the original building plan and subsequent constructions carried out at Gul Plaza.
The inquiry body will assess the difficulties faced during the evacuation of people at the time of the fire. It will further review the arrangements related to fire prevention, fire control measures, and overall safety protocols in place at the building.
The commission has also been directed to examine the fire audit of Gul Plaza and evaluate whether earlier recommendations were implemented.
The single-member commission will determine the causes of the blaze and assess the effectiveness of the rescue operation carried out after the incident.
It further stated that the judicial commission will identify those responsible for negligence before and after the fire and will complete its investigation within eight weeks.
The Karachi commissioner will provide secretariat support to facilitate the work of the commission.
Karachi's largest fire in more than a decade broke out on January 17 and quickly spread through the sprawling shopping complex, famous for its 1,200 family-owned stores selling wedding clothes, toys, crockery, and other goods.
Last month, an investigation committee report on the Gul Plaza fire detailed the rapid spread of flames, citing the presence of inflammable material in a ground-floor shop and the fire reaching adjacent shops within minutes.
The report highlighted delays in response, noting that fire tenders arrived late and a continuous water supply only began after midnight. Rescue teams reportedly lacked essential tools, protective gear, and training to evacuate trapped people efficiently.
Police measures to control crowds were ineffective, and emergency exits were blocked or encroached. Multiple fire safety audits had been conducted previously, but none of the recommendations were implemented, worsening the scale of the tragedy.
The committee recommended immediate audits of high-risk buildings, regular emergency evacuation drills, and upgrading all firefighting and rescue institutions with modern equipment to prevent similar incidents in the future.
