Sindh govt constitutes high-level committee to ‘ensure execution’ of Gul Plaza inferno’s inquiry report

The Sindh government on Thursday constituted a high-level committee to “ensure the execution of the inquiry report” of the Gul Plaza inferno, which claimed the lives of more than 70 people in January.

The deadly fire erupted on the night of Jan 17 and took nearly two days to be fully extinguished, leaving the ground-plus-three-storey building of Gul Plaza in ruins, with some of its sections collapsed.

Subsequently, a one-member judicial commission was formed to probe the incident, and it handed over its report to the Sindh government on Tuesday.

A statement issued by the Sindh Home Department said the decision to form a committee for the report’s implementation was taken during a meeting of the provincial cabinet’s sub-committee, where the report was reviewed.

“This decision follows significant progress made after the investigation into the unfortunate fire incident at Gul Plaza Shopping Centre, Karachi,” the statement read.

The commission, headed by Justice Agha Faisal of the Sindh High Court, identified the causes of the incident, determined responsibility, and presented recommendations for future action, it said.

The statement added that the committee formed for its implementation comprised Sindh Home Minister Ziaul Hassan Lanjar as the convener, Sindh Local Government Minister Nasir Hussain Shah and Sindh Industries Minister Ikramullah Dharejo as members and Sindh Home Department’s additional chief secretary, Iqbal Memon, as a member and the secretary.

“Under the terms of reference, the committee has been assigned responsibilities, including formulating a comprehensive implementation strategy in light of the inquiry report; recommending corrective measures based on identified causes and shortcomings of the Gul Plaza incident; ensuring effective coordination among relevant institutions; and having the authority to co-opt any expert or relevant officer as required,” the statement said.

The committee would also monitor implementation of the report and regularly update the government on its progress, it added.

The statement quoted Lanjar as saying that the provincial government “is fully committed to institutional reforms, enforcement of safety standards, and ensuring accountability to prevent incidents like Gul Plaza in the future”.

He emphasised that no negligence or lapse would be tolerated, and strict legal action would be taken against those responsible for the fire.

Lanjar said the initiative to form the committee was “not only a significant step towards providing justice to the victims but also reflects the government’s seriousness in safeguarding the lives and property of citizens in the future”.