Sindh Panel Seeks Action Over Deadly Gul Plaza Fire

A Sindh government implementation committee has recommended disciplinary and legal proceedings against officials of the Sindh Building Control Authority over alleged regulatory failures linked to the deadly Gul Plaza fire in Karachi. The recommendations, issued after a meeting chaired by the Sindh chief secretary, focus on officials who served between 2020 and the January 2026 incident.

The committee held that lapses in inspection, enforcement and building oversight contributed to the unsafe conditions identified after the blaze. It specifically pointed to questions surrounding approval of a revised building plan, later regularisation of the structure and the failure to ensure that fire-safety requirements were properly followed.

According to the committee’s minutes, action has been proposed against SBCA officials named through findings of a three-tier task force constituted under court orders and a District South fire-safety audit committee. The proposed proceedings would cover officials involved in inspection, enforcement, regulatory duties and approval processes.

Officials reviewing the case also recommended changes to the Sindh Building Control Ordinance, 1979, so that the SBCA can conduct mandatory post-construction inspections. The committee said such powers should allow authorities to verify whether commercial and high-rise buildings continue to comply with approved plans, safety standards and other legal requirements after completion.

The committee further suggested a wider inspection regime involving SBCA, Rescue 1122, Karachi Metropolitan Corporation, Civil Defence, cantonment boards and other agencies. It also stressed that safeguards must be built into any inspection framework to prevent misuse of authority while still ensuring meaningful enforcement.

The recommendations extend beyond building control officials. The committee proposed proceedings against fire department personnel over alleged shortcomings in preparedness, delayed response and rescue operations. It also called for implementation of pending fire audit recommendations, specialised training for fire staff and filling vacant posts, including firemen and drivers.

Civil Defence officials also came under scrutiny. The committee endorsed shifting peacetime Civil Defence functions to Rescue 1122 and proposed action against officers accused of issuing questionable inspection memos during 2024 and 2025. It also raised concerns about inadequate supervision by officials responsible for fire-safety follow-up in District South.

The Gul Plaza fire has become a major test case for Karachi’s building-safety system, where commercial structures often operate for years with weak enforcement, blocked exits, insufficient firefighting equipment and unclear maintenance responsibility. The committee also recommended registration of the building’s management committee and a detailed inquiry into how maintenance funds were used despite persistent safety deficiencies.

If implemented, the recommendations could reshape how Sindh handles fire safety, building approvals and post-construction monitoring. The next step will be whether the provincial authorities move from committee findings to formal proceedings, criminal liability decisions and enforceable reforms that can prevent similar disasters in Karachi’s dense commercial centres.