Gul Plaza Fire Case: 11-Year-Old Among Six Accused as Police File Charge Sheet Over Karachi Tragedy

The investigation into one of Karachi’s deadliest commercial building fires has entered a significant new phase after police submitted a charge sheet naming six accused, including an 11-year-old boy, in connection with the Gul Plaza Shopping Centre blaze that claimed 72 lives earlier this year.

According to court documents, the minor will face proceedings before a juvenile court, while his father and four members of the Gul Plaza Management Committee have also been nominated in the case. The tragic fire, which erupted on January 17, left eight people injured and destroyed more than 1,100 shops, causing enormous financial losses for traders and businesses across the city.

Investigation Points to Multiple Factors

Police investigators state that witness statements recorded during the inquiry indicate the fire may have started inside an artificial flower shop. According to the charge sheet, several eyewitnesses told investigators that the 11-year-old boy was handling matchsticks inside the shop shortly before flames broke out.

Investigators further allege that the child’s father, the owner of the shop, had left the premises while the minor remained there without adequate supervision. Mobile phone records included in the investigation reportedly suggest the father was not present at the shop when the incident occurred.

Management Committee Also Faces Charges

The charge sheet does not place responsibility on a single individual. It also names four members of the building’s management committee, alleging serious negligence in maintaining essential fire safety standards.

According to investigators, the shopping complex lacked several critical safety measures. The report points to blocked or locked emergency exits, an insufficient number of fire extinguishers, the absence of a fire hydrant system, and inadequate emergency lighting. These shortcomings are believed to have made evacuation far more difficult once the fire spread through the building.

Authorities also claim that emergency services were not alerted immediately during the crucial early moments of the incident. Investigators say call records did not show prompt contact with rescue agencies, a factor that will likely be examined further during court proceedings.

Case to Proceed in Juvenile Court

Because one of the accused is a minor, legal proceedings involving the child will be conducted under Pakistan’s juvenile justice framework. The remaining accused are expected to face trial under several provisions of the Pakistan Penal Code relating to negligent conduct involving fire, manslaughter, causing injuries through negligence, destruction of property by fire, and common intention.

Questions Over the Investigation

The filing of the charge sheet has also drawn attention to procedural issues. Earlier, prosecutors reportedly asked investigators to include findings from both the judicial commission established after the disaster and the Joint Investigation Team (JIT) formed by the Sindh government.

However, the investigating officer submitted the charge sheet before those reports were incorporated, with officials indicating that the judicial commission’s findings could be presented separately at a later stage.

A Case That Continues to Raise Safety Concerns

The Gul Plaza fire shocked Pakistan and renewed debate over the condition of fire safety systems in commercial buildings. Families of victims, traders, and civil society groups have repeatedly called for stronger enforcement of building regulations to prevent similar tragedies in the future.

As the legal process moves forward, the courts are expected to examine not only how the fire started but also whether lapses in supervision, building management, and emergency preparedness contributed to the scale of one of Karachi’s most devastating commercial disasters.

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