KARACHI (Dunya News) - Police have submitted a charge sheet in the Gul Plaza fire case, holding the shopping centre’s management primarily responsible for the blaze that killed more than 70 people in January.
The three-storey shopping centre, which housed nearly 1,200 businesses, was engulfed by fire on Jan 17. The incident raised serious questions about fire safety 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.
The police have listed 87 witnesses in the case and highlighted shortcomings in the fire safety arrangements at the shopping centre. The charge sheet also points to alleged negligence by the Gul Plaza administration and inadequate safety measures inside the building and individual shops.
Investigators said CCTV footage and other evidence collected during the probe had been made part of the charge sheet.
A forensic examination found no explosive material in the items examined and detected no traces of flammable liquid. However, traces of particles associated with burning were found in some of the material.
Management had been aware of safety deficiencies
The police findings come after a judicial commission also held the mall’s management responsible for failing to address known fire safety shortcomings.
A report issued by the Sindh Home Department last month said the shopping centre’s de facto management was aware of deficiencies but did not take corrective measures.
The commission found shortcomings in all three key areas of fire safety — prevention, detection and firefighting — and concluded that the building lacked an integrated fire safety system.
Civil Defence inspection reports for 2024 and 2025 had repeatedly identified the absence of essential firefighting facilities, including hydrants, hose reels and fire pumps. The reports also noted that the alarm system was unreliable or non-functional.
The commission further pointed to a lack of trained staff, fire drills and rescue equipment, saying the building was being operated without the minimum capacity required for fire safety.