Sindh Government Committee Recommends Legal Action Against SBCA Officials Over Gul Plaza Inferno

• Committee headed by CS recommends disciplinary measures against Civil Defence, fire department officers and building management committee
• Proposes amendments to building control law to allow mandatory post-construction inspections

KARACHI: The Sindh government’s Implementation Committee has recommended disciplinary and legal action against officials of the Sindh Building Control Authority (SBCA) who served between 2020 and the date of the Gul Plaza fire incident in January 2026.

The committee cited alleged failures in inspection, enforcement, and regulatory oversight, including the approval of a revised building plan and its subsequent regularisation, as grounds for the proposed actions.

To prevent future incidents, the committee recommends amending the Sindh Building Control Ordinance, 1979, to empower the SBCA to conduct mandatory post-construction inspections and enforce compliance after building completion.

These recommendations were issued during a recent meeting chaired by the Sindh Chief Secretary, based on findings from the three-tier task force established by the Sindh High Court in Constitutional Petition No. 1 of 2017 and the District South Technical Committee for Fire Safety Audit.

The committee proposes holding accountable SBCA officials responsible for inspection, enforcement, and regulatory functions, as well as those who approved revised plans and regularised buildings despite violations. It also recommends a periodic inspection regime involving the SBCA, Rescue 1122, Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC), Civil Defence, and Cantonment Boards for high-rise and commercial buildings, with safeguards to prevent misuse of inspection powers.

The committee emphasized strict enforcement of the Sindh Local Government Act, 2013, and strengthening the Fire Department through specialized training, implementing pending fire audit recommendations, operationalizing the Mauripur Fire Station, and filling vacant posts. Disciplinary action is also recommended against Station Officer Zaheer Siddiqui for allegedly issuing a fire safety certificate on March 20, 2024, without proper authorization, and for failing to address deficiencies identified in the 2021 audit.

Further recommendations include transferring Civil Defence’s peacetime functions to Rescue 1122, strengthening the agency under the Sindh Rescue Services Act, 2023, and holding responsible Civil Defence officials Fatima Memon and Mirza Mursaleen Baig for issuing irregular inspection memos in 2024-2025. The committee also recommends investigating the 1991 lease extension and rate reduction, determining its legal validity and whether the 1983-1991 period could be condoned.

Regarding the building’s Management Committee, the committee recommends registration under the Sindh Condominium Act, 2014, and conducting an inquiry into their fund utilisation and safety compliance. It further proposes criminal liability for the committee members over deficiencies in the forensic report, including inadequate equipment, blocked egresses, and issuance of a questionable fire safety certificate.

Published in Dawn, July 16th, 2026

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