KARACHI: The Sindh High Court on Monday directed the chief secretary to ensure that relevant teams inspected all shopping malls in the city in order to make certain their safety standards.

Justice Mohammad Karim Khan Agha of the SHC expressed resentment over a number of fire incidents that recently took place at different commercial malls/buildings.

The court was hearing the bail applications of suspects in a case pertaining to the fire in the RJ Shopping Mall that had claimed 11 lives.

The bench deplored that the alleged criminal negligence of K-Electric and Sindh Building Control Authority had hardly been investigated in the case.

Orders removal of IO in RJ Mall fire case; grants bail to suspects

The judge ordered the removal of the investigating officer of the case, Sharif Meo, and asked police high-ups to immediately appoint a new IO not below the rank of a SSP to carry out and complete the investigation as per the FIR and proceed in accordance with law.

The bench in its order said, “I am extremely disturbed by the fact that the persons against whom the complaint was made against in the FIR namely those involved in the construction of RJ Shopping Mall, persons involved in getting approval of the site plan, persons involved in issuing NOC by the concerned departments despite the poor construction and the departments which have not adhered to their responsibilities including K-Electric and Sindh Building Control Authority have been hardly investigated at all and it seems prima facie that the applicants have been roped in order to save the skin of those who might bear real responsibility of this fire taking place and the resultant loss of life through their criminal negligence if not worse.”

It added that in recent times, a number of fire incident had taken place in shopping malls and other commercial buildings in Karachi, which had resulted in loss of lives as a result of poor safety mechanism and equipment at work places.

The bench directed the inspector general of Sindh police to make compliance of this order and ordered the chief secretary to ensure inspection of all shopping malls of the city to ensure all health and safety standards and issue certificate in this respect.

It also noted that the present incident took place in the early hours of the morning when the shopping mall was closed and had the incident taken place in the evening, the loss of life would probably have been catastrophic.

The bench granted bail to suspects Abid Shah, Sultan Saleem, Faizan Raza, Mohammad Ramzan, Adnan, Hassan Doni, Hashir and Yawar and observed that none of them had any role in starting fire or negligence in allowing the fire to break out, which as per FIR was potentially on account of short circuit.

The prosecution said that at least 11 people died while five others were injured after a blaze erupted inside the R.J. Shopping Mall in the early hours of Nov 25 because of a suspected short circuit.

Published in Dawn, February 13th, 2024