KARACHI: An Additional District and Sessions Judge (South) in Karachi, Aslam Sheikh, has approved the bail applications of Tanveer Pasta and several other co-accused in the high-profile Gul Plaza tragedy case. During the proceedings, the court granted bail to an 11-year-old minor, Huzaifa, against a surety bond of Rs. 10,000, while the remaining suspects—including Gul Plaza Vice President Ammar Ismail, Joint Secretary Muhammad Ramadan, Muhammad Amin, and Nematullah—were ordered to submit Rs. 500,000 each. The judge raised questions regarding the minor’s involvement and questioned why his plea was filed in a sessions court rather than a dedicated juvenile court, to which the defense counsel clarified that it was due to a single, joint chargesheet submitted by the police.
The hearing saw severe criticism directed at the police investigation, with the defense counsel arguing that despite the tragic loss of 72 lives, the authorities wrapped up the entire case on a half-page document without holding any civic or government institution accountable. The court also observed that the police charge sheet had already been rejected twice due to unresolved discrepancies, yet was resubmitted with the same flaws. Furthermore, the judge noted that Section 322 (manslaughter) has been invoked in the case, meaning the Diyet (blood money) for such massive casualties would be exceptionally high.
Defending the accused, the counsel firmly maintained that their clients are being scapegoated to mask the gross negligence and late response of state rescue departments, which lacked essential equipment during the incident. They argued that the accused, including the minor’s father Nematullah, actually acted as heroes by rescuing hundreds of people. Addressing the specific allegation against Tanveer Pasta for allegedly cutting off the electricity, the defense dismissed it as trivial, stating that in modern times, everyone utilizes mobile phone flashlights.
