The tragic fire incident at Gul Plaza in Karachi sent shockwaves across the country. It has raised serious questions about the standards of fire safety in various commercial and high-rise buildings across the country. The incident caused the loss of precious human lives and exposed major lapses in fire prevention systems and emergency exits. Since this tragedy, other provincial governments reviewed their respective fire safety mechanisms.
Decision by Punjab CM Maryam Nawaz
In light of the Karachi incident, Punjab Chief Minister, Maryam Nawaz, directed the conduct of an audit of fire safety systems across the province of Punjab. This is an indicator that fire safety carelessness would not be accepted anymore. Saving human life is the paramount concern of the government. It is a proactive measure aimed at ensuring that such an incident is not repeated in Punjab.
Buildings Included in the Fire Safety Audit
As per the directives of CM, the fire safety audit will cover all districts of Punjab. It would involve both public as well as private buildings. Schools, colleges, universities, hospitals, shopping malls, commercial plazas, factories, warehouses, government offices, and high-rise residential buildings also come within the ambit. That no building operates without mandatory fire safety.
Areas to Be Inspected During the Audit
While carrying out an audit, inspectors will perform ground-level checking as opposed to document checking alone. Fire alarm systems, water sprinkler systems, fire extinguishers with their expiry dates, emergency exits, staircases, fire escape plans, wiring systems, and potential risks from short circuits will be some important points that need to be covered and evaluated during this process if any fire hazards are discovered, appropriate actions will be taken.
New Fire Safety SOPs and Enforcement Measures
The Punjab Government is also developing updated Standard Operating Procedures regarding fire safety. According to these SOPs, building owners and the competent authority will be solely liable for complying with fire safety measures. Those who do not conform to safety measures may face a fine or legal notices regarding sealing or closing premises.
Protection of Human Lives as Top Priority
The Chief Minister, Maryam Nawaz, also emphasized that the protection of human life is, in fact, the primary responsibility of the government. She instructed the concerned departments to not only identify such gaps in fire safety measures but also take corrective measures regarding them immediately. Such a fire safety audit in the entire province is being considered a major step to promote a fire safety culture in order to avert a Gul Plaza-like tragedy in the entire province of Punjab.