An 11-year-old boy is to stand trial in a juvenile court, while five adults will face Pakistan Penal Code (PPC) charges including manslaughter, following a blaze that killed 72 people at Gul Plaza in Karachi.
The adult suspects have specifically been charged under Sections 285, 322, 337-H, 436, and 34 of the PPC, which cover mischief by fire, and negligent conduct. Meanwhile, the minor’s case has been directed to the juvenile justice system.
The charge sheet was submitted on Saturday by Investigating Officer (IO) Inspector Pervez Ahmed Bhutto after receiving clearance from in-charge district prosecutor Abdul Razzaq Gujjar. The approval followed three previous rejections by other prosecutors who had demanded the rectification of defects and the inclusion of official inquiry reports.
According to the official document, the blaze on 17 January, killed seventy-two (72) people, injured eight (8) individuals and destroyed (1,153) shops causing massive financial losses in one of Karachi’s busiest markets.
The IO named six accused persons: the minor, Huzaifa; his father, Naimatullah, the owner of an artifical flower shop in the plaza; and four plaza management committee members, Tanveer Pasta, Amar Ismail, Muhammad Ramazan, and Muhammad Ameen. All six individuals are currently listed as absconders.
Eyewitness testimony from a 13-year-old boy stated that Huzaifa was playing with matchsticks inside his father’s artificial flower shop when the fire erupted.
Additional witnesses and call data records confirmed that Naimatullah frequently left his underage son to run the business alone and was absent during the incident.
The charge sheet highlights systemic negligence by the management committee, noting they failed to intervene regarding the minor operating the shop.
Furthermore, investigators found that emergency exits were blocked, fire safety equipment was absent, and call records revealed committee members failed to contact emergency services during the crisis.
