Judicial commission starts probe into Gul Plaza inferno

Proceedings of the judicial commission formed to investigate the Gul Plaza incident are set to begin today in Karachi.  

The single-member commission, headed by Justice Agha Faisal of SHC, will also examine building approvals, lease extensions, construction violations, and the effectiveness of fire prevention and firefighting measures at Gul Plaza complex.

On Tuesday, the commission issued formal orders through the SHC registrar, summoning the secretaries of the home and law departments as well as the Karachi city commissioner to attend the inaugural session of the inquiry. 

According to reports, the inquiry is expected to be completed within eight weeks.

Authorities also highlighted that a fire safety audit of Gul Plaza was previously conducted in 2021, and claimed that shortcomings were communicated to the building’s management with measures to overcome them.