Sindh govt announces judicial inquiry into deadly Gul Plaza blaze

2026-01-29 - 12:51

Sindh Senior Minister Sharjeel Inam Memon on Thursday announced that a judicial inquiry will be conducted into the Gul Plaza fire. “To further probe this and to promote departmental transparency, the sub-committee decided ... a letter is being penned to the honourable Sindh High Court chief justice,” Memon told a press conference in Karachi. He added that the SHC top judge will be requested to appoint a serving judge to “review everything and decide on it”. A cabinet sub-committee — chaired by Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah and including ministers Memon, Nasir Hussain Shah, Saeed Ghani, and Ziaul Hassan Lanjar — reviewed a report submitted by a two-member team. “The meeting with the chief minister went on for four to five hours and important decisions were made in light of the commissioner and additional IG’s report,” Memon noted. Providing details of January 17, when the blaze erupted, Memon said there were between 2,000 and 2,500 people present in the building, including workers and visitors. “As the fire broke out, many people escaped. Government employees managed to rescue them. Eighty people fell victim and were affected,” the minister added. This is a developing story that is being updated as the situation evolves. Initial reports in the media can sometimes be inaccurate. We will strive to ensure timeliness and accuracy by relying on credible sources, such as concerned, qualified authorities and our staff reporters.