The Karachi Police have held the management of Gul Plaza responsible for the heavy loss of life and property caused by a recent fire, according to their initial report.

The report, filed by Nabi Bakhsh Police Station, stated that negligence and carelessness contributed to the scale of the tragedy.

The report said the building lacked fire safety equipment, and no arrangements were in place to handle fire emergencies.

It further noted that the entry and exit routes of the building were blocked, making it difficult for people to evacuate promptly.

Power outage during the incident worsened the situation, increasing both human and financial losses.

Police said the investigation into the incident will continue, and after identifying those responsible, legal action will be taken against them.

Meanwhile, a senior director of municipal services at the Karachi Municipal Corporation (KMC) has been suspended for the fire brigade’s delayed response to the incident.

Separately, the provincial government has sent a letter to the Sindh High Court requesting a judicial inquiry into the tragedy.

The court responded that the letter does not comply with the Supreme Court’s 2023 judgment regarding inquiry commissions and directed that it be forwarded to the Sindh governor.