MQM-P expresses doubts over probe committee

KARACHI:

The Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) has expressed serious reservations over the members nominated to the inquiry committee set up by the Sindh government into the Gul Plaza tragedy. In a statement issued from the Bahadurabad center, the spokesperson said that, at first glance, the individuals included in the investigative committee appear to be directly or indirectly responsible for the tragic incident.

According to the spokesperson, the inclusion of such officers and individuals in the committee clearly creates a conflict of interest, as all of them have allegedly committed serious criminal negligence within their respective jurisdictions. The Sindh government, he added, has no constitutional or legal right to conduct an impartial investigation given this negligence.

The statement further noted that two dumpers containing crucial evidence have gone missing from the Gul Plaza site, while debris from over 100 dumpers is being dumped in the open at the MC Ground in Mewa Shah Cemetery. The evidence, including human remains and important documents, is critical for the investigative process and potential chemical analysis. However, ongoing rains have raised serious concerns about the destruction of this vital evidence.

The spokesperson warned that under such circumstances, MQM-P fears that millions of Karachi residents, as well as the families of the martyrs and injured, may be denied a transparent inquiry and justice.

MQM-P demanded that the Prime Minister and the federal government immediately constitute an independent and empowered national commission under Section 3 of the Pakistan Commission of Inquiry Act 2017, to ensure justice for the families of over 100 martyrs and injured, as well as 1,200 affected households.