Karachi Gul Plaza Fire Inquiry Reveals Emergency Response Failures

In a significant development in the ongoing judicial inquiry into the Gul Plaza fire tragedy, the commission, led by Justice Agha Faisal, has officially rejected the Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan's (MQM-P) request to participate as an intervener in the proceedings. The commission clarified that its terms of reference do not allow for such intervention, although it advised the MQM-P to submit any relevant information via email. This decision comes as the commission continues to gather testimonies from various officials, including the municipal commissioner, who revealed that the plot of the ill-fated building was leased in 1883 and later sold to a private firm in 1983. The inquiry has underscored critical failures in Karachi's emergency response, particularly highlighting that only four of the building's 17 gates were open during the emergency, severely hampering evacuation efforts.