Gul Plaza fire case: Karachi court grants bail to five suspects, juvenile

KARACHI: A Karachi district and sessions court on Monday granted post-arrest bail to five suspects, including an 11-year-old boy, in the Gul Plaza fire case that claimed 72 lives on January 17.

Additional District and Sessions Judge (South) approved the bail applications of Gul Plaza Management Committee President Tanveer Pasta, Vice President Ammar Ismail, General Secretary Muhammad Ameen, Joint Secretary Muhammad Ramazan and Naimatullah, the owner of the artificial flower shop where investigators said the fire originated.

The court directed each adult accused to submit surety bonds worth Rs500,000.

The judge also granted bail to 11-year-old Huzaifa against a surety bond of Rs10,000, but questioned why the juvenile’s bail application had been filed before the sessions court instead of a juvenile court.

“The child has a separate court,” the judge observed, asking the defence why the application had not been moved before the appropriate forum.

Read More: China test-fires submarine-launched missile into Pacific, raising regional concerns

The defence argued that the application had been filed before the sessions court because the charge sheet related to the same case.

During the hearing, the judge repeatedly questioned the prosecution about the alleged roles of the accused, particularly the juvenile.

“What is the child’s role in this case?” the judge asked, while also seeking clarification regarding the allegations against the remaining suspects.

Defence counsel argued that investigators had failed to properly determine the causes of the tragedy, saying police had “wrapped up a case in half a page despite 72 people losing their lives.”

The lawyer further contended that no responsibility had been fixed on any civilian institution, alleging that the administration had been shielded from accountability while victims had been implicated.

The judge noted that the prosecution had twice returned the charge sheet due to objections and that the investigating officer resubmitted it without addressing those concerns.

According to the defence, the principal allegation against Tanveer Pasta was that he contacted K-Electric to disconnect electricity after the fire broke out.

The defence argued that the allegation did not establish criminal liability, noting that “everyone has a mobile phone with a torch.”

Counsel also said around 350 people had been rescued from the building during the incident and that one official lost his life while carrying out rescue operations.

Referring to the charges, the judge observed that Section 322 of the Pakistan Penal Code, relating to manslaughter, carried significant legal implications because of the compensation involved.

The court adjourned the hearing for further proceedings.

According to the investigation officer’s charge sheet submitted last week, six people — including Huzaifa, his father Naimatullah and four office-bearers of the Gul Plaza Management Committee — were nominated in connection with the blaze that killed 72 people, injured eight others and destroyed 1,153 shops.

Investigators alleged that the fire started in an artificial flower shop after Huzaifa allegedly lit matchsticks and threw them into combustible material.

The charge sheet also alleged that Naimatullah routinely left the shop under his son’s supervision and cited multiple safety failures by the management committee, including locked emergency exits, inadequate firefighting equipment and delayed emergency response.

Police charged the adult suspects under various sections of the Pakistan Penal Code, including negligent conduct with fire, manslaughter, causing hurt by negligence, mischief by fire and common intention.

The charge sheet against Huzaifa is to be submitted separately before the juvenile court.