An 11-year-old boy named Huzaifa is set to face trial in a juvenile court following a devastating blaze at Karachi’s Gul Plaza Shopping Centre last January. The fire, which burned for nearly two days, claimed the lives of 72 people, left eight injured, and decimated over 1,100 shops. According to a charge sheet filed by police, the tragedy was allegedly sparked when the child was playing with matches inside his father's store. Authorities have corroborated this sequence of events through witness statements provided by other children and onlookers who were present at the scene.

Beyond the child, legal action has also been taken against his father and four members of the Gul Plaza Management Committee. Investigators claim the father was negligent for leaving his young son unattended to manage the business, while the management committee is being held accountable for failing to uphold critical safety standards. The investigation uncovered severe negligence, noting that emergency exits were blocked, fire extinguishers were inadequate, and the building lacked a functional hydrant system or backup lighting. Furthermore, authorities allege that management delayed alerting rescue services, exacerbating the destruction of a building that housed roughly 1,200 family-run businesses.