KARACHI: A petition was filed in the Sindh High Court (SHC) on Monday, urging the initiation of “criminal, departmental and contempt proceedings” against officials deemed responsible for the deadly Gul Plaza fire. The petitioners, Advocate Saleem Michael and Muhammad Haris, named the Sindh government, Sindh Building Control Authority, Karachi Metropolitan Corporation, chief fire officer, Sindh Emergency Rescue Service director general, South deputy commissioner, and director general of civil defence as respondents.
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The petition stated that the tragedy was not an unavoidable accident but a direct result of gross negligence, failed inspections, non-enforcement of safety laws, and maladministration by officials legally bound to ensure building and fire safety. The petitioners referred to a 2020 SHC order on public safety, fire prevention, and protection of human life, highlighting that over four years later, the respondents had “wilfully, deliberately and contumaciously failed to implement” the court directions.
The petitioners requested the court declare that the Gul Plaza incident occurred “due to negligence, maladministration and failure of statutory duties by the respondents.” They also sought directives for initiating criminal, departmental, and contempt proceedings against the responsible officials.
In addition, the petition urged the SHC to order a judicial or independent technical inquiry into fire safety compliance at commercial buildings across Karachi. The petitioners emphasized the need for accountability to prevent similar tragedies in the future, stressing that regulatory lapses and lack of enforcement had put lives at risk.
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The filing comes amid ongoing rescue and recovery operations at Gul Plaza, which claimed at least 23 lives, and a city-wide debate over building safety and enforcement of fire regulations.