KARACHI: A petition was filed in the Sindh High Court (SHC) on Monday, seeking the initiation of “criminal, departmental and contempt proceedings” against officials found responsible for the Gul Plaza fire.

In their petition, Advocate Saleem Michael and Muhammad Haris named the Sindh government, Sindh Building Control Authority, Karachi Metropolitan Corporation, chief fire officer, Sindh Emergency Rescue Service director general, South deputy commissioner and director general of civil defence as respondents.

They stated that the “tragedy was not an unavoidable accident but a direct consequence of gross negligence, failure of inspection, non-enforcement of safety laws and maladministration by the respondents who are legally bound to ensure building and fire safety”.

Referring to a 2020 SHC order relating to public safety, fire prevention and protection of human life, the petitioners stated that despite a passage of more than four years, the respondents had “wilfully, deliberately and contumaciously failed to implement” the court directions.

The petitioners pleaded that the court declare that the Gul Plaza incident occurred “due to negligence, maladministration and failure of statutory duties by the respondents”.

They further sought the court’s directions for the respondents to initiate criminal, departmental and contempt proceedings against responsible officials.

The petitioners further urged the court to order a judicial or independent technical inquiry into fire safety compliance at commercial buildings across Karachi.

Published in Dawn, January 20th, 2026