On January 17, 2026, a tragedy unfolded at Gul Plaza resulting in dozens of deaths. A judicial commission was subsequently formed by the Sindh government headed by Justice Agha Faisal to investigate this incident.
The completed report highlighted not only the lack of fire safety measures but also several factors that hindered rescue operations including encroachments around the building, traffic congestion on M.A. Jinnah Road, and construction work for the Green Line project obstructing emergency response efforts.
Despite being submitted to the Sindh Law Department on April 7, the report has not been made public yet leaving its release in the discretion of the government.
A committee comprising three provincial ministers was formed to implement the report’s recommendations which include immediate and comprehensive reforms for building safety in Karachi and fire safety audits of commercial buildings across the province.
Urban planning expert Farhan Anwar emphasized that such reports should eventually be disclosed, stating they are often delayed but still hold significant importance. Meanwhile, Taha Ahmed Khan from MQM-Pakistan stressed the urgency to release the report immediately as it is a matter of human lives and responsibility towards those who lost their loved ones.