Sindh Police have prepared a challan in connection with the Gul Plaza fire incident in Karachi, holding five individuals responsible for the tragic incident.
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According to media reports, police have held Gul Plaza Market Union President Tanveer Pasta and four others responsible for the fire that reportedly claimed 73 lives.
Following the challan submission, the prosecution has termed the investigation incomplete and insufficient and returned the challan with objections.
According to the challan submitted by police, Gul Plaza Union President Tanveer Pasta, Vice President Huzaifa Ammar Ismail, General Secretary Ameen, Joint Secretary Muhammad Ramzan, and Naimatullah, the owner of the shop where the fire reportedly started, have been identified as the primary individuals responsible for the incident.
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Police submitted a four-page main challan along with hundreds of supporting documents.
Media reports, however, stated that the police investigation remains incomplete. The prosecution has directed investigators to include the detailed report of the inquiry commission with the case record.
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In addition, authorities have been instructed to make CCTV footage from cameras installed around Gul Plaza part of the official record.
According to reports, the prosecution also pointed out that police made no serious effort to locate eyewitnesses present near the affected shop or record their statements.
The prosecution has directed that these shortcomings be addressed before the challan is resubmitted.
A detailed report by the Karachi Water Corporation has revealed serious delays and coordination gaps during the Gul Plaza fire incident, raising questions about emergency preparedness and response systems in Karachi.
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The report, submitted to the Commissioner Karachi, provides a timeline of events and highlights how late arrival of water tankers affected firefighting efforts.
According to the report, the fire at Gul Plaza broke out at around 10:15 pm. The fire brigade received the first information about the incident at 10:26 pm, and the first fire tender reached the site at 10:37 pm, just 11 minutes later. However, the situation worsened as the intensity of the fire increased rapidly.
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At 11:31 pm, Chief Fire Officer Humayun Khan sent an urgent message in a WhatsApp group that included officers from the fire brigade and Karachi Water Corporation.
In his message, he described the fire as uncontrollable and requested immediate dispatch of water tankers. Officials said that only after receiving this message did they realize the severity of the fire.
