The Aporia · Five shop owners move court to include terrorism, murder charges in Gul Plaza fire case

Five shop owners at Gul Plaza in Karachi have filed a petition with a judicial magistrate, requesting to record their statements to include charges of murder and terrorism related to a fire incident at the mall. Prosecutor Hassan Bhatti stated that while he supports recording statements before the court, he opposes adding these specific charges because the fire was unintentional, caused by a teenager playing with matchsticks. The defense counsel for the Gul Plaza Management Committee and others objected to including such serious charges, leading the judge to adjourn the matter until October 7th.

Written by AI on 2026-10-03, from this article's own text only (the story summary below draws on all the coverage).

Story summary

In Karachi, five shop owners from Gul Plaza filed a petition with Judicial Magistrate Aasim Aslam to include charges of murder and terrorism related to a recent fire incident. The prosecutor Hassan Bhatti confirmed that the shop owners had already recorded their statements under Section 161 of the criminal procedure code but now want to record them before the magistrate. However, the prosecution opposes adding these specific charges, arguing that the Gul Plaza case is separate from the Baldia Factory fire incident, which allegedly involved phosphorus and a ransom demand. The judicial magistrate issued notices for Saturday to members of the Gul Plaza Management Committee and the investigating officer regarding this petition.

Written for “Gul Plaza Fire Case” on 2026-11-04, grounded in this article and the 0 other(s) covering the same event.

📰 Gul Plaza Fire Case

Crime & Law · 1 article(s) covering the same event.

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A judicial magistrate on Friday issued notices for Saturday (today) to members of Gul Plaza Management Committee and the investigating officer (IO) on a petition filed by five shop owners of the mall, seeking to record their statements before the court to include charges of murder and terrorism. asserted

magistrate → issue → murder

Speaking to Dawn, prosecutor Hassan Bhatti said that two applications had been moved by the shop owners before Judicial Magistrate (South) Aasim Aslam. asserted

applications → speak → Aslam

He said the shop owners had already recorded their statements before the IO under Section 161 (examination of witnesses by police) of the criminal procedure code and now they wanted to record their statement before the magistrate. asserted

they → say → magistrate

He further stated that the prosecution did not oppose the plea seeking to record their statements before the court. asserted

prosecution → state → court

However, he added that the prosecution opposed the plea seeking to include charges of murder and terrorism and treat the incident as the Baldia Factory fire incident. asserted

prosecution → add → incident

Prosecutor Bhatti told Dawn that he argued before the court that the Gul Plaza fire was a separate incident. asserted

fire → tell → court

He added that in the Baldia Factory fire case, a chemical report had found phosphorus, and there was also an alleged intention behind the incident as the factory owners had not paid the ransom demanded by the accused persons. He added that the Gul Plaza incident was separate and that the fire had broken out unintentionally, as per statements recorded by prosecution witnesses. asserted

fire → add → witnesses

According to witnesses, he added that a teenage boy was playing with matchsticks, which led to the fire in the mall. uncertain

which → accord → mall

Meanwhile, defence counsel Shaikh Jawaid Mir, representing members of the Gul Plaza Management Committee — Tanveer Pasta, Amar Ismail, Muhammad Ramazan and Muhammad Ameen — as well as the owner of an artificial flower shop, Naimatullah, and his over 11-year-old son, Huzaifa, had raised objections to the plea seeking to include murder and terrorism charges in the case. asserted

Mir → represent → case

After hearing arguments from all sides, the court issued notices to the suspects and the IO regarding recording of their statements and directed them to appear in person on Saturday (today) for hearing. asserted

court → hear → hearing

Regarding the plea seeking to include murder and terrorism charges in the case, the court adjourned the matter until Oct 7. asserted

court → regard → Oct

Five shop owners move court to include terrorism, murder charges in Gul Plaza fire case

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