Pakistan police file negligence case after Karachi’s Gul Plaza fire kills at least 71

Pakistani police have registered a case over alleged negligence nearly a week after a massive fire tore through a shopping plaza in Karachi, killing at least 71 people in one of the city’s deadliest blazes in more than a decade.

The fire broke out late last Saturday (Jan 17) at Gul Plaza, a three-story commercial complex in Pakistan’s largest city, engulfing hundreds of small, family-run shops selling wedding clothes, toys and household goods. Much of the building collapsed as the blaze spread, complicating rescue efforts.

Police said the first information report (FIR) was filed at Nabi Bux police station under several provisions of the Pakistan Penal Code related to negligence, damage to property and causing death. The case names no suspects, with the state listed as the complainant and investigators said the inquiry was ongoing.

Officials described the incident as involving “gross negligence and carelessness,” citing the absence of adequate fire safety measures at the plaza. Authorities have since sealed the FIR as part of the investigation.

Chief Police Surgeon Karachi Dr Summaiya Syed Tariq said forensic teams had processed the remains of 71 victims recovered from the site, while efforts continued to identify the remaining dead.

Rescue officials said more than 90% of search and recovery operations had been completed, with heavy machinery now being used to clear rubble from sections of the structure that were demolished during the operation.

Speaking to Nukta, Rescue 1122 Chief Operating Officer Dr. Abid Jalali said his team faced challenges during the rescue operation because the windows had grills and blocks, which made the rescue difficult and prevented smoke from escaping properly. He added that if the building had a proper smoke exhaust system, fire alarms and adequate exits, many lives could have been saved.

Public anger has grown over the delay in registering the case and broader concerns about lax enforcement of safety regulations in Karachi, a city long plagued by fires in commercial and industrial buildings.

Adding to the pressure on authorities, Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) chairman Dr Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui has written to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, calling for a federal inquiry commission into the tragedy.

“The inquiry commission should uncover the facts and identify the culprits,” the letter said.

Investigators said four digital video recorders were recovered from the debris, which could provide crucial evidence to help determine how the fire started and why it spread so rapidly.

The Gul Plaza fire is the deadliest in Karachi since a factory blaze in 2012 that killed more than 260 people, a disaster that had also exposed widespread violations of fire safety rules.