Court hears objection to police probe in Gul Plaza accident case of accused

• The defendants in the Gul Plaza catastrophe case have moved the Sessions Court against the police investigation,

In their plea, the applicants submitted that the court should take notice of the conduct of the investigating officer Pervez Bhutto, who according to them was hiding the true offenders while blaming innocent persons in the case.

The petition had also demanded action against Deputy Commissioner South, Chief Fire Officer, Rescue 1122 and other concerned civil agencies for carelessness and dereliction of duty. It also demanded an impartial and transparent probe by sensitive agencies in the presence of DIG Irfan Baloch or Aamir Farooqi.

Meanwhile, the court heard bail pleas of Gul Plaza Association President Tanveer Pasta, Vice President Ammar Ismail, Joint Secretary Muhammad Ramzan, Muhammad Amin, Naimatullah and 11-year-old Huzaifa.

The accused’s counsel contended that although 72 persons had died in the Gul Plaza catastrophe, the police had presented a half-page chalan. The lawyer argued that the police had not held any civil institution to account but were instead pursuing the victims and covering up for the government.

The court noted that the police chalan had already been rejected twice and was resubmitted without addressing the same arguments.

The court granted interim bail to five suspects including Tanveer Pasta against surety bonds of Rs 500,000 apiece while 11-year-old Huzaifa was granted interim bail against a surety bond of Rs 10,000.