Former office-bearer of Karachi's Gul Plaza body testifies before court

KARACHI: Former Gul Plaza office-bearer Muhammad Arif expressed his suspicions during a court hearing on Tuesday, suggesting that managing committee president Tanveer Pasta could have been involved in the tragic fire at the shopping mall. Arif, 57, testified under oath before Judicial Magistrate (South) Aasim Aslam, revealing that two staircases leading to the parking floor had been sealed off and that the shopping mall lacked essential fire safety equipment.

He alleged financial misconduct in the distribution of government aid to the fire victims, claiming that he and his two sons owned three shops within the mall. Arif complained that the mall's entrances were frequently locked, and rescue services lacked the necessary tools to cut through the window grilles. He strongly urged for the prosecution of all responsible parties, including government officials.

Arif further informed the court that he had received messages via a group about the fire outbreak on the day of the incident. Upon arriving at the scene, he found only two to three fire tenders with limited water supplies. However, following several hours of cross-examination by defense lawyer Shaikh Jawaid Mir, Arif's claims seemed less credible when it was revealed that the staircases had been blocked since 2003, and none of the former office-bearers had attempted to reopen them.

During the questioning, it was also discovered that Arif belonged to an opposition group that lost the most recent election to Tanveer Pasta's team. When asked about the date of the last election, Arif responded ambiguously, stating he could not remember but recalling it as being in 2024. He also conceded, under pressure, that he had received Rs500,000 in government assistance via a cheque bearing Pasta's signature.

Lastly, Arif admitted during cross-examination that he was unsure whether the fire had been intentionally set.