Gul Plaza Fire: Inquiry Commission Formed After Deadly Karachi Tragedy

Gul Plaza Fire: Sindh Orders Inquiry, Seals Shopping Center After Deadly Blaze

Karachi, Pakistan – A judicial inquiry has been launched into the devastating fire that ripped through the Gul Plaza shopping center in Karachi on January 17, 2026, claiming the lives of at least 79 people and injuring over 20. Sindh Governor Kamran Tessori has requested the formation of a judicial commission to investigate the tragedy, emphasizing the need for a transparent and independent probe to determine the causes, identify regulatory failures, and assign responsibility.

The fire, which began around 9:50 PM Pakistan Standard Time (PKT) on January 17th, burned for approximately 36 hours before being extinguished on January 21st. The sprawling shopping complex, located on Muhammad Ali Jinnah Road in Karachi’s Saddar area, housed roughly 1,200 shops across three stories, a mezzanine, and a basement, selling a variety of goods including garments, electronics, cosmetics, and household items. The complex covered an area of over 6,500 square meters (70,000 square feet).

According to reports, thirteen of Gul Plaza’s sixteen exits were locked at the time of the fire, as the building was nearing closing time. Critically, the building lacked essential fire safety measures, including emergency exits, smoke alarms, fire hoses, fire extinguishers, and fire sprinkler systems. The cause of the fire is believed to be children playing with lighters or matches in an artificial flower shop.

The Sindh government has suspended several officials in connection with the disaster. Director of Civil Defence and the Additional Control Officer of Civil Defence, South District, have been immediately suspended, with departmental proceedings initiated against them. Chief Engineers responsible for hydrants were also suspended due to delays in water supply that hampered firefighting efforts. The Karachi Water and Sewerage Board’s (KWSB) hydrant in-charge also faced suspension for similar reasons.

A high-level subcommittee has been formed to examine the circumstances surrounding the fire, and the Sindh Cabinet has approved compensation of Rs10 million (approximately $35,000 USD as of February 4, 2026) for the victims’ families. As of January 27, 2026, 68 remains had been handed over to their heirs.

The Sindh High Court has appointed Justice Agha Faisal to lead a single-member judicial commission to investigate the cause of the fire. The Governor expressed hope that judicial oversight would restore public confidence in the investigation and prevent similar tragedies from occurring in the future.

Gul Plaza had undergone safety audits twice prior to the fire. Despite these audits, the building was found to be severely lacking in basic fire safety infrastructure. The building was originally constructed in 1979, with revised plans approved in 1998 and “duly regularised” under the 2001 Regularisation Amendment Ordinance in 2003. A revised No Objection Certificate for sale and advertisement was issued in 2005, approving 1,102 shops across the building’s floors.

The search operation at the site concluded after ten days, and the burned-out shopping center has been sealed. The scale of the tragedy has prompted calls for stricter enforcement of building codes and fire safety regulations across Karachi.

At the time of the blaze, between 2,000 and 2,500 people were reportedly inside the building. Forty-nine people remain listed as missing as of the latest reports.