The Municipal Commissioner of Karachi submitted a report to the judicial commission investigating the deadly Gul Plaza fire on M.A. Jinnah Road. The fire broke out on the night of January 17 and claimed dozens of lives.
The report clarified that the land status of Gul Plaza has not changed since it came under Karachi Municipal Corporation (KMC) control. “The record of the land department was reviewed, and the report prepared on this basis,” the commissioner stated.
The judicial commission had questioned whether approval for changing the land status or use was granted. Senior officials, including the Municipal Commissioner and the Senior Director Land, appeared in the hearing to provide clarification.
Earlier, the commission issued a notice to the Director General of the Sindh Building Control Authority (SBCA), seeking legal clarification on enforcement of building regulations. The SBCA was instructed to explain which institution bears legal responsibility for ensuring compliance with Karachi Building and Town Planning Regulations.
The commission also requested a detailed explanation of SBCA’s role in monitoring and implementing the regulations, referencing the Sindh Building Control Ordinance 1979 and other applicable laws. All responses and supporting documents must be submitted to the commission by April 1, 2026.
According to the SBCA, the original building plan for Gul Plaza was approved by the Karachi Development Authority in August 1979. The building plan was later reviewed and regularized in 1998 and 2003. However, the initial records could not be located, making verification of original approvals and usage difficult.
The revised plan included a basement, ground floor, and three upper floors. SBCA stated that 1,043 shops were approved in 1998, while 1,102 shops were regularized under an amnesty scheme in 2003.
The Gul Plaza fire lasted more than 32 hours before being fully controlled. The incident highlighted major gaps in Karachi’s emergency response system and raised serious concerns over building safety and regulatory enforcement.
The judicial inquiry continues to investigate accountability, building compliance, and the lessons to be learned from the devastating Gul Plaza fire.
In other news read more about: Gul Plaza Fire Probe: Rescue and Other Officials Record Statements
