Muhammad Ameen

An 11-year-old boy, Huzaifa, is set to face trial for igniting a fire at Gul Plaza Shopping Centre in Karachi that killed 72 people. His father, Naimatullah, and four members of the plaza’s management committee are also accused of negligence. The charge sheet highlights inadequate fire safety measures and locked exits as contributing factors.

The prosecution has returned the Gul Plaza case charge sheet for the third time due to the investigating officer's failure to include the judicial commission’s report and address prior defects. The IO charged six individuals, including union officials and a shop owner, under multiple sections of the Pakistan Penal Code, but the prosecution criticized the lack of detailed findings and failure to incorporate recommendations from the Justice Agha Faisal-led commission.

Police have not submitted the final charge sheet in the Gul Plaza fire case six months after the incident, which killed 72 people. The investigation targets four union officials, an artificial flower shop owner, and his teenage son, with defects in the charge sheet leading to its return. Forensic findings indicate safety violations but no explosives or ignitable substances were found.