RAWALPINDI/LAHORE:
Alarming fire safety standards have been found in major commercial buildings in Punjab following a province-wide inspection, launched after the deadly Gul Plaza fire in Karachi that claimed more than 50 lives, officials said on Wednesday.
The Punjab Emergency and Rescue Department conducted a fire safety survey and found serious deficiencies in the majority of squares, markets and shopping malls. Of the 2,214 buildings inspected across the province, 1,722 were classified in the lowest safety category, “D.”
Lahore emerged as the high-risk city in the survey. Authorities have classified 682 buildings in the provincial capital as “D” category and declared 13 structures totally unsafe for occupation.
The report notes that many Category D buildings lacked basic fire protection measures, including fire alarms, sprinkler systems and clearly marked emergency exits.
Authorities have warned that such failures could lead to catastrophic loss of life and property in the event of a major fire.
In contrast, only 65 buildings in Punjab met the highest safety standards. Another 129 were classified as category B, while 284 fell into category C.
The findings follow the Gul Plaza inferno in Karachi, which killed a number of people, including customers, shopkeepers and their staff. Rescue officials said 86 people were still missing, while DNA testing continues to identify the victims whose bodies have been found so far.
In response, Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz announced a comprehensive audit of fire safety systems of all commercial and residential places as well as high-rise buildings across the province. She stressed the need for new standard operating procedures (SOPs) and their strict enforcement to avoid risks such as electrical short circuits and delays in emergency response.
“The inspections will cover both public and private buildings, including government offices, hospitals, schools and shopping malls,” the chief minister said in a statement, adding that public safety would remain her government’s top priority.
A day earlier, Punjab Health Minister Khawaja Salman Rafique ordered the immediate implementation of the Building Safety Regulations 2022 across the province. Speaking at a meeting at Rescue 1122 headquarters in Lahore, he directed officials to take strict legal action against violators.
During the briefing, Emergency Services Secretary Dr Rizwan Naseer told participants that surveys of all 2,214 high-rise buildings had been completed. He also presented his plan to expand fire services to 39 more tehsils at an estimated cost of Rs 2 billion.
Rafique said the initiative aligned with the chief minister’s vision to modernize emergency services, citing the launch of air ambulance operations and improvement of response systems. He stressed that enforcement of building safety rules was “the need of the hour” to prevent further loss of life.
Officials said notices would be immediately sent to owners of category D buildings, requiring mandatory installation of fire safety systems within a fixed time frame. Failure to comply, they warn, would result in fines and legal action.
According to Rescue 1122, Punjab currently operates 281 fire engines with 2,446 trained firefighters. The department responded to more than 280,000 emergency fires, preventing losses estimated at 768 billion rupees. Across the province, emergency services include more than 15,000 rescuers, 892 ambulances, 20 aerial platforms and 800 rescue boats.
Authorities have reiterated that there will be no compromise on the protection of lives and properties as enforcement of fire safety laws intensifies across Punjab.
Fire safety crackdown ordered in Rawalpindi
Meanwhile, the Rawalpindi district administration has issued strict guidelines making modern and functional fire-fighting equipment and emergency exits mandatory across the district.
The orders apply to all small and large shopping malls, commercial squares, large factories, manufacturing and supply units of chemicals and acids, cardboard, paper, plastic, furniture factories, garment units and major markets.
Instructions have been given to trade organizations, associations, factory owners, administrations of public squares and managements of shopping centers to immediately install modern fire-fighting equipment and create emergency exit routes.
The Ministry of Civil Defense was also ordered to conduct a large-scale inspection operation across the district.
Rawalpindi Deputy Commissioner Hasan Waqar Cheema has ordered all zonal deputy commissioners to carry out inspections. The Department of Civil Protection will conduct operations and train employees of large shopping centers, commercial squares and factories on the use of fire-fighting equipment and rescue procedures so that rescue operations can begin at the local level before the arrival of firefighters or Rescue 1122.
The Civil Defense will also conduct comprehensive inspections of installed equipment, and heavy fines and challans will be imposed in case of installation of counterfeit or non-functional equipment.
All owners of squares, shopping malls, large markets, business centers, factories, banks and paper, cardboard, plastic and wood factories have been warned to install fire-fighting equipment by January 25, 2026.
A crackdown will begin from January 26, with zero tolerance for non-compliance, including heavy fines, challans and registration of cases.
Deputy Commissioner Hasan Waqar Cheema said the administration’s priority was complete protection of human lives and transparent security, warning of strict measures against crowded public places lacking modern fire safety devices.
