More than 70% of nearly 1,900 buildings inspected in Karachi since January have failed to meet required fire safety standards, raising serious concerns about the safety of thousands of occupants.
The findings were shared during the fourth National Fire Safety Conference and Risk-Based Awards 2026, organized by the Fire Protection Association of Pakistan (FPAP).
Rescue 1122 Chief Operating Officer Abid Jalal revealed that around 1,900 buildings had undergone fire safety audits this year, with more than 70% found to have deficiencies in their safety arrangements.
He said the findings highlighted serious weaknesses in the enforcement of building safety regulations despite several major fire incidents in the city.
Jalal called for revisions to the 2016 building code and the establishment of a dedicated technical body responsible for fire safety standards, inspections, and compliance.
Meanwhile, Chief Fire Officer Humayun Khan said Karachi had reported approximately 160 fire incidents in the past two weeks alone.
He highlighted several challenges faced by firefighters, including encroachments, narrow roads, and delays in reporting emergencies.
Referring to the Gul Plaza fire, Khan said the central fire station was informed nearly 26 minutes after the blaze began, even though videos of the incident were already circulating on social media.
He criticized the practice of recording fires instead of immediately informing emergency services, saying such delays could affect rescue operations.
Khan added that the number of fire stations in Karachi had increased from 22 to 28, while the department currently had eight snorkels and 52 water bowzers.
FPAP President Kanwar Waseem stressed the need for preventive safety measures, including functional fire alarms, sprinklers, extinguishers, and accessible emergency exits in buildings.
He also called for practical fire safety training for employees, students, and building occupants to improve emergency preparedness.
Former Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry President Javed Bilwani raised concerns about inadequate firefighting infrastructure in commercial and industrial areas.
He claimed that Karachi contributed approximately 54% of Pakistan's exports and 67% of tax revenues, yet several industrial estates and markets, including McLeod Road, lacked essential fire hydrants.
Former Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) Operations Director Imdad Siddiqui identified poor policy implementation and weak coordination between institutions as major challenges in disaster management.
Hussain Habib Corporation CEO Fawad Bari also emphasized the importance of basic fire safety education, particularly teaching children how to evacuate buildings safely and respond to emergencies.
The conference also discussed lessons from the Gul Plaza and PIMS fire tragedies, with participants calling for stronger enforcement of safety regulations and greater public awareness.
Public policy specialists and governance analysts view structured administrative initiatives as critical building blocks for institutional efficiency, social equity, and public welfare across Pakistan.
Coordinating policy execution across federal divisions, provincial secretariats, and local directorates ensures that state directives achieve tangible community benefits while maintaining strict operational transparency and budgetary accountability.
Administrative oversight bodies and public monitoring departments are actively deploying digitized service desks and computerized verification systems to streamline public service delivery.
By removing procedural bottlenecks and integrating transparent verification mechanisms, public institutions are working to ensure that civic facilities, developmental benefits, and state safeguards are accessible to all citizens without unnecessary bureaucratic hurdles.
Citizens and civic stakeholders are encouraged to rely on verified government gazettes, certified departmental web portals, and official facilitation counters for authoritative information.
Administrative directorates emphasize that public inquiries, official feedback, and grievance redressals can be registered directly through official departmental helplines and established public service portals.