KARACHI: Police have submitted a charge sheet in the Gul Plaza fire case, holding the shopping centre’s management primarily responsible for the blaze that claimed more than 70 lives in January.
The three-storey shopping centre, which housed nearly 1,200 businesses, was engulfed by fire on January 17, raising serious concerns over fire safety arrangements and emergency preparedness in Karachi.
According to the police charge sheet submitted before a Karachi court on Saturday, investigators found no negligence on the part of the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC), the fire brigade or Civil Defence.
Police have listed 87 witnesses in the case and identified significant shortcomings in the fire safety arrangements at Gul Plaza. The charge sheet points to alleged negligence by the shopping centre’s administration and inadequate safety measures inside the building and individual shops.
Investigators said CCTV footage and other evidence collected during the investigation had been included in the charge sheet.
A forensic examination found no explosive material in the items examined and detected no traces of flammable liquid. However, investigators found traces of particles associated with burning in some of the material examined.
Management Was Aware of Fire Safety Deficiencies
The police findings come after a judicial commission also held the shopping centre’s management responsible for failing to address known fire safety deficiencies.
A report issued by the Sindh Home Department last month stated that the de facto management of Gul Plaza was aware of safety shortcomings but failed to take corrective measures.
The commission identified deficiencies in all three major areas of fire safety — prevention, detection and firefighting — and concluded that the building did not have an integrated fire safety system.
Civil Defence inspection reports for 2024 and 2025 had repeatedly highlighted the absence of essential firefighting facilities, including hydrants, hose reels and fire pumps. The reports also noted that the building’s alarm system was unreliable or non-functional.
The commission further identified a lack of trained staff, regular fire drills and adequate rescue equipment, concluding that the shopping centre was operating without the minimum capacity required to ensure fire safety.
The police charge sheet and judicial commission findings have placed renewed focus on safety violations and accountability following the deadly Gul Plaza fire, which remains one of Karachi’s major recent fire tragedies.
