KARACHI: The Sindh Building Control Authority (SBCA) has invited contractors to submit bids for demolishing Gul Plaza, the commercial building severely damaged in a deadly fire.
According to a newspaper advertisement, the authority has initiated the tendering process for the demolition work and invited interested firms to participate.
The SBCA’s demolition team will oversee the operation, while the deadline for submitting bids has been fixed for November 20. Contractors have been asked to submit their technical and financial proposals separately.
The demolition contract will be awarded after the bids undergo evaluation.
The tragedy occurred on the night of January 17 when a massive fire engulfed Gul Plaza, claiming more than 73 lives. Firefighters took over 32 hours to bring the blaze under control.
Court rejects plea for JIT formation
Meanwhile, a city court has turned down an application filed by Gul Plaza President Tanveer Pasta and other accused seeking the formation of a Joint Investigation Team (JIT) to probe the incident.
The court observed that JITs were constituted exclusively for terrorism-related cases. The proceedings continued in the fire case, with Pasta and other accused appearing before the court.
During the hearing, defence lawyer Javed Mir alleged that the new investigation officer was attempting to protect government departments despite earlier judicial directions to include public institutions in the investigation.
He argued that the Sindh Building Control Authority had taken no action against the building’s developer, while the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation, SBCA and Fire Brigade had effectively been cleared of responsibility.
The lawyer also accused the investigation officer of failing to record the statement of the Deputy Commissioner South.
Referring to the circumstances of the fire, Mir said the blaze had started on the ground floor, yet a father and son had been nominated in the case despite the father not being present at the location.
He further claimed that nearly 5,000 people had managed to evacuate the building, while several others died because of what he described as negligence and incompetence on the part of government institutions.
Clarify the demolition timelineTighten the court proceedings sectionUse more neutral legal wording
