Governor Kamran Tessori demands judicial inquiry into Gul Plaza tragedy

Sindh Governor Kamran Tessori on Friday berated the provincial government over the Gul Plaza tragedy and demanded a judicial inquiry into the incident.

The Gul Plaza inferno has claimed around 60 lives and several dozens others are still missing. Fires are common in Karachi’s markets and factories, which are known for their poor infrastructure, but a blaze on such a scale is rare.

Relatives of those still missing have criticised the slow operation at the three-storey Gul Plaza, where rescuers are scouring the wreckage for human remains.

READ MORE: Gul Plaza tragedy: Govt stands shoulder to shoulder with the bereaved: Sharjeel

Addressing a press conference on the Gul Plaza tragedy, the Sindh governor said, “I am going to write a letter to the Sindh High Court chief justice and Supreme Court chief justice for judicial inquiry of the incident.” He regretted that scores of kids have already lost their lives by falling into open manhole.

A government committee has launched an investigation, but the cause of the inferno was not immediately clear.

Tessori stated that politics is still being played even a week after the tragic incident. However, he asserted that no conspiracy to shift the blame onto others will be allowed to succeed, and those responsible must be identified and punished.

He added that Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah should personally inquire why the machinery is not functioning correctly. He questioned why the son of a man who died in the tragedy was subjected to a baton charge, while mothers are being forced to beg for justice.

Tessori stated that it is not possible for the public to pay taxes and also sacrifice their lives. He warned that if anyone plays politics on this matter, he will expose everyone’s secrets.

“The administration has demonstrated criminal negligence and he will not allow it to be covered up,” he further stated.

The governor added that he would also tell Chief of Defence Forces Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir that “Karachi is waiting for you,” and that the field marshal should see for himself who has committed injustice here.