Karachi is teetering on the edge of a major disaster, as over 80 per cent of the city’s buildings lack basic fire safety systems, and more than 90 per cent have no emergency exits, leaving millions of residents at constant risk, fire safety officials and structural engineering experts warned on Wednesday.
The warnings came during the 3rd National Fire Safety Conference and Risk-Based Awards, where officials and safety experts described the city’s fire preparedness as “dangerously inadequate”.
According to data shared by the Sindh Emergency Rescue Service (Rescue 1122), the province has recorded 2,728 fire incidents, 1,041 road traffic accidents, 448 drowning cases and nearly a million medical emergencies since the service’s inception.
Officials said the sharp rise in fire emergencies, especially in Karachi’s high-rise and commercial buildings, highlights years of neglect and poor enforcement of safety codes. Fire Protection Association President Kanwar Waseem said the Sindh Building Control Authority (SBCA) has already declared over 500 buildings unsafe, warning that many can collapse if struck by fire. “We’ve seen buildings catch fire and crumble within hours. If safety laws continue to be ignored, casualties will soar.”
He pointed out that faulty wiring causes nearly 80 per cent of fires in Karachi, while gas cylinder explosions are increasing rapidly. “The problem isn’t firefighting — it’s prevention.” He stressed that fixing wiring alone can prevent most fires. “We need public awareness, training, and fire safety courses across schools and universities,” he said, adding that NED University has already launched certified fire safety courses to train professionals.
Rescue 1122 CEO Dr Abid Jalal said the number of fires in Karachi has surged alarmingly. “Since November 2024, more than 1,700 fire emergencies have been reported in the city, most of them caused by short circuits and poor wiring. Unless prevention is made a priority, the situation will worsen.”
He said that while fire codes exist, weak coordination among departments hampers enforcement. “Multiple agencies are involved, creating confusion and delays. A single empowered authority is needed to ensure compliance.”
Karachi Chief Fire Officer Muhammad Humayun said the city’s firefighting infrastructure is outdated and insufficient. “There are only 28 fire stations in Karachi when there should be at least one for every 100,000 residents. We need 200 stations for a city this size,” he said.
“Our response time is just one and a half minutes, but traffic jams, blocked routes and poor coordination often delay us. So far, 34 firefighters have died in the line of duty.”
He said a recent Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) survey of 266 buildings along Sharea Faisal found that only 17 or 18 had proper fire safety arrangements, while the rest either had inadequate systems or none at all. “Citizens must also act responsibly. Most have extinguishers at home but don’t know how to use them.”
Fawad Bari, CEO of Hussain Habib Corporation, said Pakistan records 10,000 to 15,000 fire incidents every year, causing up to Rs800 billion in losses, and thousands of deaths and injuries.
“By law, every building above 38 feet must have alarms, hydrants, fire doors, emergency exits and trained firefighting teams, yet 80 percent of Karachi’s structures lack these systems.”
He blamed corruption and weak oversight. “Even where codes exist, unsafe buildings get approved through bribes. We need an independent monitoring team to ensure strict enforcement.”
Pakistan International Airlines’ Captain Mohsin highlighted the lack of burn treatment facilities. “There aren’t enough burn centres to handle the rising number of cases. We must also shift to safer composite materials since most construction materials used locally catch fire easily.”
Urban safety advocate Rehan Hashmi said Karachi’s weak infrastructure and lack of planning worsen the crisis. “The SBCA has failed to ensure fire prevention in buildings.” He said fire tenders cannot reach sites due to broken roads and narrow lanes, while the KMC lacks funds and authority. “Karachi pays the highest taxes but gets the least attention,” he added, urging the Sindh government to empower local authorities.
Association of Builders and Developers Chairman Hassan Bakshi said buildings constructed without following fire codes should not be issued occupancy certificates. “Allowing unsafe buildings to operate is like signing away citizens’ lives.”
Scout Secretary Akhtar Mir suggested that fire safety be taught in schools to raise awareness from an early age. “Every citizen should know what to do in an emergency. Teaching fire safety from childhood is the best prevention.”
Published in The News on October 9, 2025.