The judicial commission investigating the tragic fire at Gul Plaza has issued a formal notice to the Director General of the Sindh Building Control Authority (SBCA), requesting legal clarification on the enforcement of building regulations. The commission has mandated the DG SBCA to submit a detailed report identifying which institution holds legal responsibility for ensuring adherence to the Karachi Building and Town Planning Regulations.
Additionally, the commission has asked SBCA to provide specific references to relevant legal provisions. It also seeks a comprehensive explanation of SBCA’s role in the implementation and oversight of the Karachi Building and Town Planning Regulations 2002. This request includes clarification under the Sindh Building Control Ordinance 1979 and other applicable rules. The commission has set a deadline for all responses and supporting documents to be submitted to its secretariat by April 1, 2026.
Previously, the SBCA had submitted a written response stating that the original building plan for Gul Plaza was approved by the Karachi Development Authority (KDA) in August 1979. The authority noted that the building plan underwent review and regularization in 1998 and again in 2003. However, the DG SBCA informed the commission that the original file and initial records for the building are missing from the record room, complicating efforts to verify details about the originally approved structure and its intended use.
SBCA, the revised plan included a basement, ground floor, and three upper floors, which were approved by the Karachi Building Control Authority (KBCA). The authority further detailed that 1,043 shops were approved in 1998, with 1,102 shops later regularized under an amnesty scheme in 2003.
In a significant development, the inquiry focuses on the devastating fire that erupted at Gul Plaza on M.A. Jinnah Road on the night of January 17. The fire engulfed the commercial complex, resulting in dozens of fatalities and burning for over 32 hours before it was fully contained. This tragedy has highlighted critical weaknesses in Karachi’s emergency response system and raised serious questions about the enforcement of building safety regulations.
