KARACHI: The Sindh Information Commission (SIC) on Wednesday dismissed an application filed by the Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P), seeking direction for the provincial government to make the report of the judicial commission public on the Gul Plaza fire, saying that the matter was still under investigation.

After hearing respondents and the counsel representing MQM-P M Tariq Mansoor, the SIC comprising information commissioners Muhammad Saleem Khan and Noor Muhammad Dayo, who took up the matter on Wednesday, dismissed the plea and noted that at this stage they considered that the case was of an exceptional nature covered under Section 10 (1), (F) and (G) of the Sindh Transparency and Right to Information Act, 2016.

“Therefore, without going through the merits and demerits of the case, we find it appropriate that, let the process of ongoing further investigation of the subject incident be completed without any interruption from any corner. As the matter involves the precious lives, liberties and properties of the citizens, therefore, once the investigation is completed, the investigation officer would file his challan by making all essential information and documents(s) or report(s) part of the investigation, which on taking cognizance by the learned judicial magistrate shall be made as public record,” the order said.

Reasoning for dismissing the plea, the SIC observed that the investigation into the incident was still ongoing and therefore, the requested information could not be disclosed to the general public, as such disclosure might affect the investigation process and its implementation, reveal the identity of a confidential source, hamper the probe, or prejudice the prevention or detection of crime, or the apprehension or prosecution of offenders.

Sindh Information Commission says matter is still under investigation

During the hearing, DSP Aamir Virk — newly appointed IO in Gul Plaza fire case — informed the SIC that the matter was still “under investigation” and the necessary facts and documents from relevant departments were to be obtained.

However, the SIC in its order noted that when both IOs were asked — previous and current — whether they had gone through the Gul Plaza inquiry commission report and commissioner’s report on the incident, they replied that they “haven’t got the said report(s)”.

It added that out of four respondents, three had informed the SIC that the record was not held by them, while it vested with the office of the chief secretary of Sindh. However, it further noted that the chief secretary of Sindh through its letter disclosed that the information at this stage cannot be disseminated and provided, as the matter was under implementation process and claimed an exception provided under the Information Act.

The MQM-P had filed a complaint in May through Advocate Mansoor before the SIC under the Sindh Transparency and Right to Information Act, 2016 and Article 19-A of the Constitution against non-issuance of the inquiry report and sought direction for the provincial government to make the report of the judicial commission public on the Gul Plaza fire.

The complainant made the chief secretary, secretaries of the law department and others respondents and contended that the incident report was directly related to the right to life and was a matter of extreme public importance.

The counsel Mansoor submitted that the inquiry commission was constituted for fixing responsibilities and to punish the culprits involved in the incident directly or indirectly in any manner.

“A prima facie gross criminal negligence, mismanagement and corruption in the govt. departments and allied machineries is occurred due to which innocent citizens have lost their precious lives and hundreds are affected,” the counsel maintained.

He added that after the inquiry, the report of the commission be made public to ensure transparency and accountability to avoid such incidents in future.

Published in Dawn, July 23rd, 2026