Police have submitted the challan to the prosecution in the fiery Gul Plaza tragedy but have conspicuously excluded the findings of the judicial commission constituted to probe the deadly inferno that claimed 72 lives. The challan, presented at the Karachi City Court by the police investigating officer (IO), Nabi Bakhsh, now awaits scrutiny by the prosecution before it can be formally filed before the trial court.
Unresolved Objections and Missing Report
Legal sources confirmed that most objections raised during the investigation remain unresolved, and the judicial commission's report has not been annexed with the charge sheet - a move that is likely to draw sharp criticism from victim families and legal experts alike. According to the IO, the fire at Gul Plaza has been declared accidental, a conclusion supported by the Punjab Forensic Science Agency (PFSA) report, which ruled out the presence of any explosive material at the scene.
Origin of the Blaze and Principal Accused
Investigators have concluded that the blaze originated from Shop No 193. Police have named shopkeeper Naimatullah and his 11-year-old son, Huzaifa, as the principal accused in the case, with the report listing Huzaifa as the primary suspect. The challan states that Naimatullah frequently left his minor son in charge of the shop. The police investigation alleges that Huzaifa ignited matchsticks and discarded them, causing artificial flowers inside the shop to catch fire - a seemingly small act that triggered one of the deadliest infernos in the city's history.
Market Committee Leadership Named
In a move that has widened the circle of accountability, the charge sheet also names the entire leadership of the Gul Plaza Market Committee as accused: President Tanveer Pasta, Vice President Ammar Ismail, General Secretary Muhammad Amin, and Joint Secretary Muhammad Ramzan. Police have declared all four absconders, with none having been arrested so far.
Systemic Negligence and Locked Gates
The challan paints a damning picture of systemic negligence at multiple levels. Both Naimatullah and Huzaifa have been held responsible for carelessness. Moreover, the market union has been faulted for failing to prevent a minor from working at the shop - a clear violation of child labour laws. More critically, investigators found that after the fire broke out, the market union did not immediately alert emergency services or seek assistance, losing precious minutes that could have saved lives.
The report further states that all gates of Gul Plaza remained closed at the time of the incident, and union officials failed to have them opened in time. "The locked gates created a death trap, making it extremely difficult for people to escape the smoke and flames," the challan states.
Power Disconnection and Death Trap
In another startling revelation, the investigation alleges that Gul Plaza Committee President Tanveer Pasta instructed K-Electric to disconnect the power supply. The resulting darkness reportedly trapped people inside the building, while the blocked escape routes were identified as one of the major factors contributing to the staggering death toll.
Unclaimed Victims and Eyewitness Statements
The July 2024 blaze remains one of the worst fire tragedies in the country's recent history, with 72 people losing their lives. In a poignant reminder of the disaster's scale, authorities confirmed that the remains of four victims still lie unclaimed at morgues. During the investigation, police recorded statements from four eyewitnesses before a magistrate under Section 164 of the Criminal Procedure Code, which carry evidentiary value in court proceedings.
With the judicial commission's report excluded from the challan and most objections still pending, legal observers anticipate a protracted legal battle.
