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Sindh governor writes to SHC CJ for judicial inquiry into Gul Plaza tragedy

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Sindh governor writes to SHC CJ for judicial inquiry into Gul Plaza tragedy


Sindh Governor Kamran Khan Tessori talks to the media about rescue operation on January 19, 2026 outside fire-hit Gul Plaza shopping centre. Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan senior leader Dr Farooq Sattar is also present. — APP
  • Independent judicial probe to prevent future tragedies: Tessori.
  • Governor hopes judicial oversight to restores public confidence.
  • Commissioner-led report “confirms 79 deaths” in Gul Plaza blaze.

Sindh Governor Kamran Tessori has sought the formation of a judicial inquiry commission to investigate the deadly Gul Plaza fire, stressing the need for a transparent, independent and credible probe to ascertain causes, regulatory lapses and responsibility.

Karachi’s largest fire in more than a decade broke out on January 17 and quickly spread through the sprawling shopping complex, famous for its 1,200 family-owned stores selling wedding clothes, toys, crockery, and other goods.

The search operation of the deadly shopping centre fire culminated after ten days of arduous rescue and relief efforts, and the scorched shopping centre was sealed on Tuesday.

In a letter addressed to the Sindh High Court Chief Justice Zafar Ahmed Rajput, the governor stated that the blaze at Gul Plaza resulted in irreparable loss of life and was an extremely serious matter requiring judicial scrutiny.

— Facebook/@TeamKTessori
— Facebook/@TeamKTessori

He stressed that only an independent inquiry will guarantee accountability and help prevent such disasters from recurring.

“Given the gravity of the incident and widespread public concern, there is a compelling need for a transparent, independent and credible inquiry,” the governor wrote, adding that any individuals or institutions found responsible must be identified in accordance with the law.

Governor Tessori expressed hope that an inquiry conducted under judicial oversight would restore public trust.

Commissioner’s report on Gul Plaza fire

Meanwhile, an investigative report compiled by a committee led by Karachi Commissioner Syed Hassan Naqvi has confirmed that 79 people lost their lives in the Gul Plaza fire, sources told Geo News, underscoring the scale of the tragedy cited by the governor in his letter.

Fire department workers walk past the site, following a massive fire that broke out in the Gul Plaza shopping centre in Karachi on January 20, 2026. — Reuters
Fire department workers walk past the site, following a massive fire that broke out in the Gul Plaza shopping centre in Karachi on January 20, 2026. — Reuters

According to the sources, the report — to be submitted to Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah — details the causes of the fire, the response of the fire brigade, rescue operations and subsequent relief efforts, based on accounts from victims, eyewitnesses and rescue officials.

The fire broke out at around 10:15pm on January 17, while the fire brigade was informed at 10:26pm. The first fire tender reached the site at 10:37pm, with the deputy commissioner South arriving at 10:30pm and Rescue 1122 personnel at 10:53pm.

Investigators concluded that the blaze originated at a flower shop on the ground floor, allegedly caused by a child, and spread rapidly through air-conditioning ducts to other parts of the building. The majority of fatalities occurred on the mezzanine floor.

Earlier, Sindh Home Minister Ziaul Hassan Lanjar said concerns regarding possible sabotage or terrorism had been raised, but clarity was still lacking. He added that anti-terror provisions would be included in the FIR if sufficient evidence emerged during investigations.

Separately, Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah announced plans to rebuild shops at the site within two years, stating that the remaining structure of Gul Plaza would be demolished.





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After ads, will ChatGPT responses remain trustworthy? OpenAI says yes

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After ads, will ChatGPT responses remain trustworthy? OpenAI says yes


After ads, will ChatGPT responses remain trustworthy? OpenAI says yes

As OpenAI is gearing up to rollout ads for both free and $8 ChatGPT Go, the company has assured users that ads will not affect ChatGPT’s responses and will be labelled and separated from the content.

Early signs of this rollout have been spotted on Android devices, suggesting the inclusion of ads in ChatGPT is close.

As noted on X (formerly Twitter), OpenAI has designed a full-screen onboarding experience to familiarise users with ads in ChatGPT.

Although the AI giant has assured not to share personal information with advertisers, the current chat may still influence the type of sponsored ads displayed below the answers.

At the current stage, the commendable thing is that users have the option to hide ads, understand why specific ads were shown, and clear their ad data.

Ads will appear as a “Sponsored” block, and tapping the overflow menu draws the dropdown to hide the ad, report it, or even “Ask ChatGPT” about it.

OpenAI stated: “Our mission is to ensure AGI benefits all of humanity; our pursuit of advertising is always in support of that mission and making AI more accessible.”

Furthermore, the company has emphasised that conversations will remain private from advertisers and that user data will never be sold. A new “Ads controls” page has also been added to let users manage their ad history and interests without affecting their chat data.

These ads won’t be displayed to users of ChatGPT Plus, Pro, Business, and Enterprise plans.





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David Beckham makes dig at Brooklyn amid family rift: ‘Watch and learn’

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David Beckham makes dig at Brooklyn amid family rift: ‘Watch and learn’


David Beckham’s subtle dig at Brooklyn amid family rift: ‘Watch and learn’

As the Beckham family drama deepens, David Beckham had refrained from making a direct comment about any of the tensions.

However, the doting father, who often roasts his children playfully, sent a pointed message to his estranged son, Brooklyn, as he collaborated with his close friend Gordon Ramsay.

The famous British chef, who himself is going through some drama with regards to his son-in-law Adam Peaty, shared an update.

David, who is a legendary former footballer, flaunted one of his many skills, cooking. In a video clip, Gordon and David are seen on a video call in which David makes a scallop risotto.

“Usually when David Beckham calls it’s about football but I was surprised when he was cooking up one of my homechef recipes, Gordon had written on Instagram.

Before marrying Nicola Peltz, Brooklyn had tried to launch himself as a cook as he shared videos of himself cooking simple recipes. However, most of the time he was roasted and trolled for his skills, which were often dubbed as mediocre.

While he pursued cooking for a while, he seemed to have abandoned that idea and modify it by selling his own hot sauce.

The update comes over a week after Brooklyn made a series of shocking Instagram Stories posts about his family. He had broken his silence on the ongoing rumours about a rift in the family and clearly stated that he “[does] not want to reconcile with [his] family.”

He noted, “I’m not being controlled, I’m standing up for myself for the first time in my life.”





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Historic recording by “Sly and the Family Stone” released after gathering dust: “Sheer magic”

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Historic recording by “Sly and the Family Stone” released after gathering dust: “Sheer magic”


Archivist and music historian Alex Palao worked to restore old tapes by “Sly and Family Stone” that gathered dust for decades. He co-produced the live album called “The First Family: Live at the Winchester Cathedral 1967.” He is now nominated for “Best Album Notes” at Sunday’s Grammy Awards. CBS News San Francisco’s Max Darrow has the story.



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