KARACHI: Sindh High Court has advised the provincial government that it is within its authority to independently initiate an inquiry into Gul Plaza tragedy, following the government’s formal request for a judicial investigation into the matter.
In its reply to the provincial government’s letter, the court pointed out that under the Pakistan Commission of Inquiry Act 2017, the government has the power to establish an inquiry commission on its own. It emphasized that existing legal provisions allow for such action without additional dependency.
The court also highlighted that the Supreme Court has already set clear benchmarks for conducting judicial inquiries. Furthermore, it clarified that there is no obligation to consult the Chief Justice if the commission includes a former judge or qualified legal expert.
Earlier, the Sindh government had formally sought a judicial investigation into the incident, proposing that a sitting High Court judge should supervise the inquiry process. A sub-committee, headed by Sindh’s Chief Minister, put forward this recommendation to address accountability and identify possible administrative negligence linked to the tragedy. Subsequently, the Chief Justice of the Sindh High Court was requested to allocate a judge for this purpose.
The court reiterated that the government is free to proceed with its investigation while complying with the rules under the 2017 Act. It added that including former judges or legal experts in such commissions negates the need for mandatory consultation with the Chief Justice, provided procedural requirements are fulfilled.
