MQM-P slams Sindh govt over ‘concealment’ of Gul Plaza inquiry report

The Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) on Tuesday accused the Sindh government of intentionally withholding the Gul Plaza fire inquiry report after an interim order issued by the Sindh Information Commission.

In a statement, the party’s spokesperson welcomed the commission’s decision, describing it as a win for the people of Sindh and a setback for what he called a corrupt feudal system and bureaucratic collaboration within provincial institutions.

According to the spokesperson, the interim order stemmed from a complaint filed by Advocate Muhammad Tariq Mansoor and raised serious concerns over the provincial government’s alleged failure to release the judicial commission’s findings into the fatal Gul Plaza fire.

The statement said that the one-member judicial commission, headed by Justice Agha Faisal, submitted its detailed inquiry report, along with four supplementary volumes, to the law secretary on April 7, 2026, in the presence of the media and the public.

However, when an application was submitted under the Right to Information (RTI) law on April 28 seeking a copy of the report, the law secretary’s office allegedly refused to accept the request. The MQM-P said the Information Commission took notice of the matter and questioned the refusal.

The party argued that withholding the report violates Article 19-A of the Constitution, which guarantees citizens the right to access public information, adding that the commission also expressed concern over the alleged non-compliance.

The spokesperson further claimed that the missing report had affected ongoing legal proceedings. He pointed out that a police charge sheet in a case registered at Nabi Bakhsh police station was returned by a judicial magistrate because the investigating officer had failed to attach the judicial inquiry report.

Calling the situation an attempt to protect those responsible, the MQM-P alleged that the provincial government was obstructing the judicial process and preventing accountability.

The statement also criticised the law department for referring the matter to the home department, describing the move as an effort to avoid responsibility.

The Sindh Information Commission has directed the home secretary to produce the complete Gul Plaza Judicial Commission report, along with the Karachi commissioner’s inquiry report dated January 20, 2026, at the next hearing scheduled for July 8.

The MQM-P reaffirmed its commitment to pursuing the matter through the courts and other accountability forums until those responsible are brought to justice and the victims’ families receive accountability.