An inspection in Sindh revealed that 91.3% of buildings lacked fire safety arrangements, leading the government to decide to seal high-risk buildings with fire safety law violations. Following a fire incident in Karachi’s Gul Plaza, nearly 80 people lost their lives, hundreds were injured, and financial losses were incurred.
During a high-level meeting on fire safety, Chief Secretary Asif Hyder Shah disclosed that out of 3,633 buildings inspected in Sindh, 889 were deemed high risk due to serious violations. Owners of medium- and low-risk buildings have been instructed to rectify safety deficiencies.
In Islamabad, the Capital Development Authority (CDA) found that a majority of buildings lacked fire safety certifications. A survey of 6,500 buildings was conducted post the Gul Plaza fire incident, revealing that many buildings lacked approval for fire safety plans and completion/fire safety certifications.
The CDA conducted an inspection of 300 government buildings during the survey. Federal Minister for Interior Mohsin Naqvi directed the CDA to swiftly survey all buildings in Islamabad for fire safety and hazard control. Building owners and occupants have been given 15 days to submit Fire Safety and Hazard Control Certificates to avoid legal action.
