KARACHI:
The Judicial Commission investigating the Gul Plaza tragedy has recorded the statement of senior architect and town planner Arif Hasan. The commission also ordered a firefighter from the Ranchore Line fire station to report to the secretariat and record his statement.
According to details, the Judicial Commission, headed by Justice Agha Faisal, heard the statement of Arif Hasan, who appeared before the commission and shared his expert opinion on building safety and fire prevention measures.
In his statement, Arif Hasan said that architects must ensure adequate safety measures in the design of buildings.
He stressed that fire prevention also requires proper maintenance of electrical installations and safe storage of LPG cylinders and other flammable materials. He pointed out that even large shopping centers often lack smoke detectors and that simply installing an alarm system is not enough; regular fire drills are also essential.
He further emphasized that safe and rapid evacuation in case of fire is of crucial importance and emergency exits must be clearly marked and kept open. According to regulations, fire extinguishers must be available on every floor and buildings must be equipped with water sprinkler systems throughout. He added that safety equipment must be regularly checked and maintained to remain functional. Arif Hasan said public awareness and education are key to preventing such tragedies. He suggested that children receive safety training in schools and that the public be informed on how to respond in the event of a fire. Buildings must also have adequate water storage for firefighting.
He stressed that fire-resistant walls should be used in industrial buildings.
During the proceedings, Justice Agha Faisal observed that the SBCA had said its laws did not allow monitoring of buildings after their completion. The commission was informed that the SBCA can only take action against illegal constructions when a complaint is filed. He also mentioned an explosion in a four-storey building built on a 35 square meter plot in Soldier Bazaar.
Arif Hasan further explained that in informal settlements, multi-storey buildings are often built on very small plots and many surveys carried out by government institutions are unreliable.
