• Muttahida says blaming ‘innocent child’ for blaze is absurd; calls for a federal inquiry commission
• PTI demands release of complete report, terms selective disclosures ‘misleading’
• JI questions probe’s credibility, wants independent judicial commission

KARACHI: The preliminary findings that reportedly suggested that the Gul Plaza fire was caused accidentally by a minor son of the owner of a flower shop have triggered strong reactions from major opposition parties, who have unanimously rejected the report’s conclusion and demanded an independent and transparent investigation into the tragedy that claimed precious human lives and caused massive losses.

A two-member committee comprising Karachi Commissioner Hasan Naqvi and city police chief Azad Khan tasked with investigating the Gul Plaza inferno called on Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah on Wednesday and reportedly submitted their report.

Media reports said the report stated that the minor son of a shop owner lit a match while playing inside the shop and threw it without putting it out due to which the shop caught fire which then spread to the entire Gul Plaza.

However, the Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) came down hard on the Sindh government, outrightly rejecting the report and terming it a deliberate attempt to distort facts and shield those responsible for criminal negligence.

In a statement, the party’s spokesperson said that blaming an “innocent child” for such a horrific incident was not only absurd but also reflected the moral and administrative failure of the provincial government.

The MQM-P questioned the whereabouts and identity of the child allegedly held responsible in the report, asking the Sindh government to clarify whether the child even exists and what has become of him.

The party also criticised the provincial administration for its failure to control the fire for three consecutive days, calling it a glaring example of professional incompetence despite Karachi contributing billions of rupees to the provincial exchequer.

“The Sindh government has turned itself into the accused, the complainant and the judge, all at once, in a bid to escape public outrage,” the statement said.

The MQM-P demanded immediate federal intervention and called for the formation of a powerful, high-level inquiry commission under Clause 3 of the Pakistan Commission of Inquiry Act to identify the real culprits and ensure justice for the victims.

Similarly, Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) Karachi President Raja Azhar raised serious objections to the commissioner’s initial report, expressing concern over the government’s reluctance to make the full document public.

In his statement, Mr Azhar said that only selective points from the report had surfaced in the media, while withholding the complete findings was giving rise to legitimate concerns.

“Concealing facts is tantamount to rubbing salt into the wounds of the affected families,” he said, adding that selective leaks could not be termed transparency and instead appeared to be an attempt to mislead the public.

He demanded that the complete, unedited report be immediately released and that any negligence or misconduct identified be dealt with strictly and without discrimination.

The PTI reiterated its solidarity with the affected families and traders, stressing that genuine accountability was essential to prevent such tragedies in the future.

Jamaat-i-Islami (JI) also took the Sindh government to task, accusing it of manipulating the narrative.

JI Karachi chief Monem Zafar echoed similar concerns, stating that the government’s handling of the Gul Plaza inferno and its aftermath had further eroded public trust.

He said the investigation lacked credibility as long as the same authorities under question were overseeing the inquiry.

Monem Zafar emphasised that shifting blame onto weak and voiceless individuals could not absolve state institutions of their responsibility.

He called for an independent and credible judicial or statutory commission to conduct a thorough investigation, warning that failure to hold those responsible accountable would only pave the way for more disasters in the city.

He said the JI stood firmly with the victims and demanded justice, compensation, and meaningful reforms in fire safety and emergency response mechanisms.

Published in Dawn, January 29th, 2026