KARACHI (HRNW) – The judicial commission established to investigate the Gul Plaza tragedy has rejected a request by Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) to become a formal party in the proceedings.
During the hearing on Monday, MQM-P leaders including Dr. Farooq Sattar and Nasreen Jalil, accompanied by their legal team, appeared before the commission to file their plea. The head of the commission, Justice Agha Faisal, remarked that since formal proceedings have already commenced, any request to join the case must be submitted through a complete and strictly regulated legal application. The commission ruled that the request presented at this stage was not maintainable and subsequently rejected it.
Investigation Updates
The commission was initially informed that the fire at Gul Plaza was allegedly triggered by children playing with matches. However, the commission decided to continue a deeper probe into the incident and adjourned the hearing until February 25.
Claims of Criminal Negligence
Following the hearing, Dr. Farooq Sattar spoke to the media, asserting that the party possesses “solid evidence” of criminal negligence and the misuse of authority related to the tragedy. He claimed:
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Severe irregularities occurred during the construction of Gul Plaza.
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Cases had previously been registered against relevant officials regarding these violations.
Dr. Sattar announced that he will hold a detailed press conference today at 3:00 PM to present further evidence and specific details regarding the incident.
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