The Sindh government on Thursday announced the formation of a judicial commission to further investigate the deadly Gul Plaza fire in Karachi, which claimed around 80 lives.

Senior Minister Sharjeel Inam Memon announced at a press conference after meetings of the Sindh cabinet and a sub-committee convened in the aftermath of the tragedy.

He said a letter was being sent to the chief justice of the Sindh High Court, requesting the appointment of a serving judge to review all aspects of the case and reach conclusions.

“To further probe the incident and ensure departmental transparency, the sub-committee has decided to approach the honourable chief justice,” Memon said, adding that a judicial inquiry would bring all facts to light and fix responsibility wherever negligence is found.

Memon said a fact-finding committee had already submitted its report, identifying serious violations related to the building’s lease and safety arrangements.

He said Gul Plaza lacked proper fire safety measures and that the building management had failed to make adequate arrangements, complicating evacuation efforts.

At the time of the fire, between 2,000 and 2,500 people were inside the building, he said. Some managed to escape on their own, while others were rescued. He confirmed that about 80 people lost their lives.

The government has suspended the Director Civil Defence South and the Additional Civil Defence officer, and initiated departmental action against both.

Municipal Commissioner Afzal Zaidi had already been removed, Memon added. Action would also be taken against the building’s management.

He praised firefighters for performing their duties despite limited resources and paid tribute to firefighter Furqan, who lost his life during rescue operations.

He said steps would be taken to enhance resources for firefighting services.

Memon said families of the deceased were being provided compensation of Rs10 million each, adding that the process was not being publicised.

He also announced investigations into those responsible for issuing illegal leases in the past.

Rejecting allegations of political pressure, Memon said the Sindh government was not acting under any demand and was accountable only to the public.

He said the decision to form a judicial commission was taken independently and not at the request of any political party.

Additional Inspector General Karachi Azad Khan said preliminary findings suggested the fire was accidental and may have been triggered by an 11-year-old child.

Memon added that the fire spread rapidly through the air-conditioning ducts.

He said more than 1,100 fire incidents were reported in Karachi over the past year, underscoring the need for stricter enforcement of safety regulations.

“We will present evidence rather than trade in accusations,” he said, adding that further action would be taken if the judicial inquiry uncovered additional negligence.