Pakistan: Over 91 per cent buildings in Sindh lack fire safety arrangements

In a startling revelation that underscores deep-rooted negligence in urban safety, a Sindh government committee’s inspection of provincial buildings has uncovered that a staggering 91.3 per cent of structures lack basic fire safety arrangements, Pakistani media reported on Friday.

The findings come in the aftermath of the tragic Gul Plaza fire in Karachi, which claimed nearly 80 lives, left hundreds injured, and inflicted financial devastation on countless families.

In response to the alarming assessment, authorities have resolved to seal high-risk buildings that flagrantly violate fire safety laws, signaling a no-nonsense crackdown on urban hazards. Chief secretary Asif Hyder Shah, speaking during a high-level meeting on Thursday, revealed that inspections were carried out across 3,633 buildings in Sindh. Of these, 889 were deemed high-risk due to severe safety violations, while owners and managers of medium- and low-risk buildings were instructed to swiftly rectify deficiencies.

The grim findings in Sindh echo similar concerns in Pakistan’s capital. Earlier this month, the Capital Development Authority (CDA) disclosed that the majority of buildings in Islamabad had failed to obtain fire safety certifications. In a sweeping survey of 6,500 buildings, including 300 government facilities, inspectors found that approvals for fire safety plans and completion certifications were largely absent, leaving residents vulnerable to catastrophe.

The revelation prompted decisive action from federal authorities. Federal Minister for Interior Mohsin Naqvi ordered the CDA to conduct a comprehensive survey on fire safety and hazard control across Islamabad. During a meeting chaired by CDA Chairman Ali Randhawa, it was announced that building owners and occupants must submit their Fire Safety and Hazard Control Certificates to the CDA’s Building and Housing Control Wing within 15 days. Non-compliance will trigger legal action under the CDA Ordinance and the Islamabad Capital Territory Building Control Regulations 2020 (amended 2023).

The twin crises in Sindh and Islamabad paint a stark picture: decades of oversight lapses and lax enforcement have left urban centres perilously unprepared for fire disasters. With the Gul Plaza tragedy still fresh in public memory, authorities’ renewed vigilance may yet prevent future calamities, but only if compliance is enforced rigorously and without delay.

With IANS inputs