Sindh Committee Recommends Action Over Gul Plaza Fire, Proposes Law Changes
An Implementation Committee formed by the Sindh government has recommended disciplinary and legal action against officials of the Sindh Building Control Authority (SBCA) who served between 2020 and January 2026, the period encompassing the deadly Gul Plaza fire. The committee, chaired by the Sindh chief secretary, found these officials responsible for alleged failures in inspection, enforcement, and regulatory oversight, including the approval and regularization of a revised building plan. The committee also proposed amendments to the Sindh Building Control Ordinance, 1979, to enable mandatory post-construction inspections and ensure ongoing compliance with building codes and fire safety standards. This would empower the SBCA to conduct inspections after a building's completion. Recommendations also include establishing a periodic inspection regime for high-rise and commercial buildings involving multiple agencies like Rescue 1122, Karachi Metropolitan Corporation, and Civil Defence, with safeguards against the misuse of inspection powers. Furthermore, the committee called for action against officials from the Fire Department, including Station Officer Zaheer Siddiqui, for alleged shortcomings in preparedness, delayed response, and issuing a fire safety certificate without proper approval. It also proposed fixing responsibility for failures in implementing recommendations from a 2021 fire safety audit. An inquiry into the extension of the building's lease and reduction in lease rates approved in 1991 is also suggested. The committee endorsed transferring peacetime Civil Defence functions to Rescue 1122 and strengthening Rescue 1122's operations. Action was also recommended against Civil Defence officers Fatima Memon and Mirza Mursaleen Baig for allegedly issuing dubious inspection memos, and against the Director of Civil Defence for supervisory failures. Negligence was highlighted concerning Deputy Commissioners of South and their staff for inadequate supervision of fire safety inspections. Finally, the committee recommended registering the building's Management Committee and called for a detailed inquiry into its affairs, proposing criminal liability for its president, owners, and members due to identified deficiencies, including inadequate firefighting equipment, blocked exits, and a questionable fire safety certificate.
The Sindh government's committee report highlights systemic failures in building oversight and emergency response preceding the Gul Plaza fire. The recommendations for legal and disciplinary action against SBCA, Fire Department, and Civil Defence officials, alongside proposed legislative amendments for post-construction inspections, address critical governance gaps. However, the report also points to a fragmented regulatory landscape, with multiple agencies involved in inspections and safety audits, suggesting potential coordination issues and overlaps. The proposed transfer of Civil Defence functions to Rescue 1122 aims to streamline emergency response, but successful implementation will depend on robust inter-agency collaboration and resource allocation. The focus on fixing responsibility for past oversights, while necessary, should also inform future preventative strategies, ensuring that updated regulations are effectively enforced and that accountability mechanisms are transparent and consistently applied to prevent similar tragedies.
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