KARACHI, 05 September, 2026(Ghufran): Police have submitted a charge sheet in the Gul Plaza fire case, holding the shopping centre’s management primarily responsible for the deadly blaze that claimed the lives of more than 70 people in January. The three-storey Gul Plaza shopping centre, which housed nearly 1,200 businesses, was engulfed by fire on January 17, raising serious concerns over fire safety standards and emergency preparedness in Karachi. According to the 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. Police have listed 87 witnesses in the case and identified serious shortcomings in the fire safety arrangements at the shopping centre. The investigation has pointed to alleged negligence by the Gul Plaza administration, along with inadequate safety measures inside the building and individual shops. The charge sheet includes CCTV footage and other evidence collected during the investigation. 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.
The police findings are consistent with the conclusions of a judicial commission, which also held the shopping centre’s management responsible for failing to address known fire safety deficiencies. A report issued by the Sindh Home Department last month stated that the de facto management of Gul Plaza was aware of safety shortcomings but failed to take corrective measures. The commission identified deficiencies in all three major 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 highlighted the absence of essential firefighting facilities, including hydrants, hose reels and fire pumps. The reports also noted that the building’s alarm system was unreliable or non-functional. The commission further identified a lack of trained personnel, fire drills and adequate rescue equipment, stating that the shopping centre was being operated without the minimum capacity required to ensure effective fire safety.The police charge sheet is expected to play a key role in determining responsibility and accountability for one of Karachi’s deadliest commercial building fires.