MQM-P Condemns Sindh Government for Withholding Gul Plaza Fire Report
The Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) on Tuesday sharply criticized the Sindh government for allegedly concealing the Gul Plaza fire inquiry report. The criticism followed an interim order by the Sindh Information Commission, which directed the provincial authorities to release the findings. In a statement, the party's spokesperson welcomed the commission's ruling, calling it a victory for the people of Sindh and a setback for what he described as a "corrupt feudal system" and bureaucratic collusion within provincial departments.
Background of the Inquiry Report
The spokesperson said the interim order, issued on a complaint filed by Advocate Muhammad Tariq Mansoor, had raised serious questions about the provincial government's role in withholding the judicial commission's findings into the deadly blaze. According to the statement, the Justice Agha Faisal-led one-member judicial commission had submitted a comprehensive inquiry report—comprising four additional volumes—to the law secretary on April 7, 2026, in the presence of media and the public. However, when a request was filed under the Right to Information (RTI) law on April 28 seeking access to the report, the law secretary's office allegedly refused to receive the application, prompting criticism from the information commission.
Violation of Constitutional Right
The MQM-P spokesperson termed the move a violation of Article 19-A of the Constitution, which guarantees citizens' right to access information, adding that the commission had also expressed displeasure over the matter. He further claimed that the absence of the report had already affected legal proceedings, noting that a police charge sheet in a related case registered at Nabi Bakhsh police station was returned by a judicial magistrate due to the investigating officer's failure to provide the inquiry findings. "This reflects the extent to which the provincial government is shielding those responsible and obstructing justice," the spokesperson said.
Next Steps Ordered by Information Commission
The Sindh Information Commission has since directed the home secretary to present the complete Gul Plaza Judicial Commission report, along with a separate inquiry report by the Karachi commissioner dated January 20, 2026, at the next hearing scheduled for July 8. The commission's order is seen as a significant step toward transparency and accountability in the province.
