KARACHI: The Gul Plaza Market Union, which bore the brunt of January’s devastating fire that claimed over 70 lives, has moved court to challenge the police investigation, alleging a “victim-blaming” probe that overlooked systemic failures by government agencies.
In a petition filed by union president Tanveer Pasta and other officials, the applicants contested the police’s challan (charge sheet) submitted to the court, which named five individuals—including the union’s leadership—as primary accused. The prosecution had earlier returned the challan, citing “insufficient evidence” and gaps in the inquiry.
The police’s charge sheet, it may be added here, held Tanveer Pasta (president), Huzaifa Ammar Ismail (vice president), Amin (general secretary), Muhammad Ramzan (joint secretary), and Nematullah (owner of the shop where the fire originated) responsible for the tragedy.
However, the union’s petition argues that the investigation “scapegoated” market representatives while ignoring critical lapses by civic authorities.
“The police have turned victims into accused. Even a child has been implicated in this flawed probe,” the petition stated, referring to one of the named individuals.
The union also demanded a joint investigation by police and “sensitive agencies,” insisting the fire’s scale—fueled by a long-neglected ash heap near Gul Plaza—pointed to institutional negligence.
It is pertinent to recall here that the January inferno, one of Karachi’s deadliest in recent years, exposed glaring safety violations, including blocked exits, absent fire safety measures, and alleged corruption in building approvals.
