Search ends at Karachi Gul Plaza fire site as Pakistan police open probe

Rescue teams have completed search and recovery operations at a fire-gutted shopping mall in Pakistan’s southern port city of Karachi, authorities said, as police set up a special investigation team to pursue those responsible for one of the deadliest urban fires in the country’s recent history.

The blaze broke out late on Jan. 17 at Gul Plaza, a multi-story commercial complex and burned for nearly two days before being brought under control. Officials have confirmed at least 74 deaths, while more than 1,100 shops were destroyed in the inferno.

Karachi police said on Monday they had constituted a special five-member team to conduct what they described as an impartial investigation and to make “all-out efforts” to arrest those involved. The move comes as the focus shifts from rescue to accountability following widespread public outrage.

According to an official order issued by South Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Syed Asad Raza, the team has been tasked with identifying and arresting suspects and completing the investigation using all available resources. No arrests have been made so far.

A first information report (FIR) registered on Jan. 23 describes the fire as the result of “negligence and carelessness” and names no suspects. Police said the case has been registered against unknown persons pending the outcome of the investigation.

The special team includes the Garden sub-divisional police officer, the investigation deputy superintendent of police from Kharadar, the head of the Garden Central Investigation Cell, the station house officer of Nabi Bux police station - where the FIR was lodged - and the case’s investigation officer.

The team has also been authorized to seek assistance from officers across the South Zone if required.

Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah said those found responsible would be punished once the inquiry is completed. “I will not name anyone at this stage,” he said, adding that systemic failures could not be ruled out.

“We have made mistakes; I admit it,” Shah said, noting that safety audits, including those conducted by federal authorities in Islamabad, had previously been found inadequate. Asked whether arson was being considered, he said the inquiry committee would examine all possible angles.

The Gul Plaza fire is the deadliest in Karachi since a 2012 factory blaze that killed more than 260 people, a disaster that exposed deep-rooted violations of fire safety regulations - problems critics say remain largely unaddressed.