KARACHI: The Sindh Home Department has released the judicial commission\u2019s report into the Gul Plaza fire, holding multiple institutions and stakeholders responsible for failures that contributed to the loss of lives.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
According to the report, Gul Plaza remained in commercial use despite being considered dangerous and violating fire safety regulations. The building administration failed to address previously identified defects.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Civil Defence inspections in 2024 and 2025 had identified the absence of essential fire safety equipment, combustible materials and problems with emergency exits, but corrective action was not taken.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The report also found an extremely delayed response in informing the fire brigade about the blaze. The electricity supply was cut off, creating darkness and further reducing the chances of people escaping from the upper floors.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Although the building had a speaker system, it was not used during the emergency. The approved plan had 1,102 shops, while 1,153 shops were actually operating in the building, many storing large quantities of flammable goods.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The commission found that firefighting was delayed, with effective operations beginning around 35 to 40 minutes after the fire started. Water shortages and refilling problems further affected firefighting and rescue efforts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The report said defects identified in 2024 and 2025 were not properly addressed. It also criticized Civil Defence, the Sindh Building Control Authority and other institutions for failing to effectively enforce safety requirements.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
According to the commission, rescue opportunities remained available after officials arrived. Between around 11:15 and 11:20pm, some victims could still be seen, while access to the building through the ramp remained possible until around 11:30pm.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The report concluded that people died not only because of the fire, but also because of delays, darkness and blocked escape routes. Inadequate safety systems, ineffective inspections and fragmented institutional responsibilities also contributed to the tragedy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The commission further noted that Gul Plaza had not undergone a proper electrical inspection, despite legal requirements for regular inspection of electrical installations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The report said responsibility could not be placed on a single institution or government, as several departments had powers relating to building control, safety inspections, firefighting and emergency response, but the overall system failed to function effectively.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The fire broke out at Gul Plaza on Karachi\u2019s MA Jinnah Road on January 17 this year. The blaze continued for three days, killed more than 70 people and completely destroyed the shopping centre.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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