MQM-P Demands Prime Minister Sharif Form Inquiry Commission on Gul Plaza Fire

In Hayderabad, Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) leader Haider Abbas Rizvi reiterated the party’s demand for an inquiry commission to investigate the Gul Plaza inferno. Addressing a press conference on Sunday in Hyderabad, Rizvi stated that MQM Chairman Dr Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui had also written a letter to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif requesting this probe, involving members from Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) and other federal agencies.

Rizvi emphasized that the commission should include representatives from FIA, IB, ISI, MI, NDMA and other relevant federal bodies to determine whether it was an act of subversion or a fire incident.

He criticized the Sindh government and Karachi administration for disposing debris from the fire, including remains of victims, at Meva Shah ground. Rizvi asserted that this could compromise forensic investigations into the tragedy by undermining the integrity of the crime scene.

The MQM-P leader contended that the Karachi administration and Sindh government had not respected the sanctity of the crime scene under international standards. “This debris includes remains of the deceased,” he said, “They were not bones or limbs of animals but humans.”

Rizvi accused the administration of serious criminal negligence in handling the incident. He stated that while the federal government faced charges against it, it was also attempting to conduct its own investigations.

Regarding the issue of identifying 83 bodies using DNA samples, Rizvi expressed frustration at a lack of resources and support from state agencies. The MQM-P leader highlighted the absence of an effective firefighting system in Karachi compared to other measures like issuing e-challans for seatbelt violations.

Rizvi stated that MQM-P is actively working with the federal government on constitutional amendments, particularly regarding the 28th Amendment, to ensure Article 140-A’s implementation. He criticized PPP’s stance against this amendment and their preference for colonial-era local government bodies.

Lastly, he announced the launch of the Sindh Bachao campaign in Hyderabad today (Sunday), emphasizing the MQM-P’s commitment to a participatory democracy system versus PPP’s focus on provincial and federal governance structures.