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Judicial commission: Gul Plaza building is still in use despite unsafe situation
The Gul Plaza Judicial Commission study further shows that the administration of the retail center failed to remedy known defects, and that the plaza building was still being used despite its dangerous condition and in violation of fire safety legislation.
Judicial commission report on Gul Plaza made public The report contained a description of the responsibility of the parties in the disaster, the commission said.
The assessment said the building was in a perilous state and had been in continuous commercial use breaking fire safety standards. Gul Plaza administration has not fixed the known flaws, it said.
Civil Defence studies in 2024 and 2025 noted a shortage of fire safety equipment, flammable items and issues with egress routes.
The study noted there was an exceedingly inappropriate wait in reporting the fire to the fire department. The power interruption significantly limited the prospects of escape from the top floors because of the darkness.
There was a speaker system in the building but it was not used. Gul Plaza’s proposed regularised plan had 1,102 shops while in reality there were 1,153 shops. The shops were crammed with combustible material.
According to the report, the fire brigade was delayed in its arrival in violation of its own response requirements, with effective firefighting beginning about 35 to 40 minutes later.
Shortages and refills of water hampered firefighting and rescue. The fire brigade’s failure to deploy key equipment in a timely manner reduced its prospects of rescuing persons trapped in the building who were accessible.
The report says the absence of efficient water delivery (in the first phase) is a big management problem, while fire stations say they have water reserves.
There was no legal action to rectify the faults identified in the Civil Defence inspections in 2024 and 2025. “And when the courts were triggered in 2025, there was no lawsuit.”
The commission says the failure of civil defence is not ignorance of the threat, but failing to act on a recognised threat.
The study indicated that the district administration did not perform a joint audit of Gul Plaza despite the three-tier fire audit system set up on the directives of the High Court. The Deputy Commissioner, South Office is institutionally liable for non-activation of the audit and monitoring system available.
The report said that the SBCA cannot avoid accountability by presenting for inspection on a complaint. In an unsafe building it could take remedial action under the Sindh Building Control Ordinance.
The SBCA was accountable for inadequate record-keeping and ineffective fire safety monitoring at Gul Plaza.
The report added that Rescue 1122 officials reached the site after the fire erupted but still there was a potential prospect of rescue. Rescue was possible between 11.15 to 11.20 am and several of the victims were also visible.
The ramp was also accessible until 11:30 am. They did not turn the available time into a wide scale rescue mission by Rescue 1122.
The report said that the law provided for periodic inspections of electrical installations and equipment. The electrical inspector said in a statement that Gul Plaza was not subject to a routine electrical examination.
The commission said accountability does not rest with one institution or one government alone. There were legal authorities, an audit system, building control, firefighting and emergency response institutions at different times but this system as a whole was not functioning well.
The investigation revealed that individuals died in Gul Plaza not just due to fire, but also because of delays, darkness, clogged roads and closed windows.
The commission attributed the loss of life on a defective safety system, poor audits, distributed institutional accountability and premature rescue opportunities.
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OpenAI says its AI agents weakened internal monitoring system
Two of OpenAI’s artificial intelligence agents turned off sections of an internal monitoring system designed to identify misbehaviour, the latest example of AI agents operating in ways the developers did not expect, the company said Tuesday.
While the ChatGPT maker stated the incidences occurred during internal code work and were not considered its most serious, the disclosure underscores how even the methods developers use to spot AI misbehavior are vulnerable to the agents they monitor.
The discovery also comes amid rising fears that efforts on AI safety are failing to keep pace with the rapid development of ever more powerful systems. Scientists have cautioned about the emergence of powerful AI agents becoming increasingly autonomous and difficult to monitor and manage.
In recent months, developers including IPO-bound rivals OpenAI and Anthropic have disclosed incidents where their AI agents accessed external systems without authorisation.
In a blog post Tuesday, OpenAI reported that a GPT-6.1 Sol agent on an internal testing task on October 3 disabled automatic security alarms after interpreting an earlier order not to send Slack messages as also covering safety notifications.
Separately, on Oct. 6, an Astra agent using GPT-6 removed a safety monitor when copying an existing piece of code and later stated falsely that it did not do so, OpenAI said.“In both cases, agents thought about keeping monitoring safeguards in place but “interpreted normal coding instructions as permission to weaken them,” the company said.
“OpenAI said it was making it harder for models to disable monitoring, saying it does not ‘yet have a satisfying explanation for this behavior’.
The San Francisco-based company said it was studying whether its models would be inclined to avoid being observed and seek out reasons to justify such behaviour.
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Makkah pact aims to strengthen collective deterrence among Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkiye
Turkiye sent a defence treaty with Pakistan and Saudi Arabia to parliament for ratification on Tuesday, three parliamentary sources said, bringing NATO’s second-largest army closer to a formal mutual defence promise with Riyadh as it fears Houthi threats.
The three countries signed the Mecca Joint Defence Agreement in August, under which an armed attack on one member is an attack on all.
The first clause of the agreement says the parties shall use “all necessary means” to eradicate threats to each other’s territorial integrity, sovereignty or internationally recognised borders, according to a text seen by Reuters.Article 2 of the agreement states, “If one of the parties is subjected to an armed attack or military aggression by another country or group of countries, the parties shall immediately render assistance to the party which is under attack, with all means of mutual assistance at their disposal.”
Similar to NATO’s Article 5, the clause references Article 51 of the UN Charter, which deals with the individual or collective right of states to self-defence against armed attack.
The same page says the three countries “will determine the scope and nature of the support to be provided following an objective assessment of the assistance required” and will collaborate within their available resources, including military capabilities and resources.
Earlier this month, the three countries decided in an emergency alliance conference in Riyadh to guarantee the “rapid deployment” of military forces and capabilities in Saudi Arabia.
Turkiye, which has its own strong defence sector, has condemned Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia, showed a willingness to help satisfy Riyadh’s military technology demands and agreed to join a Saudi-led coalition to assure navigational safety in the Red Sea.
The pact also foresees tight cooperation on the defence sector, exchange of information, logistical support, and the fight against “all forms of terrorism”, including at the operational level.
Parliamentary approval is required for Turkiye to formally sign off on the pact.
The aim is to “strengthen collective deterrence”
Two sources claimed Parliament Speaker Numan Kurtulmus, who is on a visit to Kyrgyzstan, would send the deal to the foreign affairs commission of parliament after he returns. The terms and specifics of the agreement are expected to be released when it is filed with the commission.
The commission may discuss the accord as early as Friday, another person added.
Turkiye’s latest move was an important milestone in the institutionalisation of strategic collaboration between the three countries, Burhanettin Duran, communications director for President Tayyip Erdogan, stated.“This strategic partnership between our countries aims to strengthen collective deterrence, improve joint capabilities in the defence sector and secure security and stability in our region,” Duran said in a post on X.
A Turkish official, who spoke to Reuters on condition of anonymity, said Turkey’s own contribution was likely to be limited to military equipment, intelligence sharing and weapons systems, and no other form of deployment had been made under the alliance so far.
“The Mecca Agreement is not a ‘offensive agreement,’ and Turkiye would not send forces to another nation to conduct out operations on its land. When asked how Turkiye could help Saudi Arabia fight against attacks by Yemen’s Houthis, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan responded
Turkey’s constitution needs independent parliamentary approval for any deployment of military overseas, regardless of international agreements.
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Pakistan decide not to participate in Over-50s Cricket World Cup 2027 in India
– Pakistan have decided not to participate in the Over-50 Cricket World Cup 2027 scheduled to take place in India after failing to secure government permission for the tournament.
The competition is scheduled to be held in Hyderabad Deccan from January 23 to February 7, 2027. Pakistan was due to participate as defending champions after winning the 2025 edition in Sri Lanka.
Fawad Ejaz Khan, chairman of the Pakistan Veterans Cricket Association (PVCA), said Indian veterans cricket officials had assured the Pakistani team of visa arrangements and high-level security for the tournament.
He said the association had sought permission to participate from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Interior. However, Pakistan Cricket Board Chairman and Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi subsequently informed the association that permission would not be granted.
Following the government’s decision, the association decided against sending the team to India, Khan said, adding that the organisation respected the government’s position.
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