ISLAMABAD: Four days after a fire broke out at the unauthorised Awami Markaz building, the Capital Development Authority (CDA) has adopted the Fire Safety Provisions 2016 for all buildings in Islamabad.

According to a notification issued by the CDA, the provisions will be applicable to all buildings in the capital. Prepared by the Pakistan Engineering Council, the provisions include rules for fire prevention, fire safety and fire protection of building and structures.

Previously, the CDA relied on its own fire and safety regulations, which went unheeded by owners of high-rise buildings due to the authority’s negligence. Awami Markaz, which was gutted on Sunday, did not have a completion certificate from the CDA, which also deals with fire and safety regulations.

Various other high-rises in the urban areas, including Centaurus Mall, Silver Oaks in F-10, Safa Gold Mall, the Oil and Gas Development Company building, almost all the high-rise buildings in E-11 and buildings in rural areas are operating without CDA completion certificates.

“Today, we have notified adoption of the Building Code of Pakistan- Fire Safety Provision, we will implement it in entire Islamabad,” Building Control Director Faisal Naeem said.

He said all buildings will have to implement these regulations, otherwise, after completing formalities such as imposing fines, the authority will seal non-complying buildings.

According to the provisions, all building operators have to install fire-fighting equipment and building emergency exits.

In the preface of the book of the aforementioned building codes, the engineering council has said that every year a significant number of casualties and injuries occur as a result of incidents of fire in the country.

“Unfortunately, about 70pc deaths took place in existing buildings including housing, commercial and industrial units only due to non provisions of fire safety and fire protection systems,” it reads.

In addition, it said, a large number of major fires in 2015-16 happened in big cities, wherein a significant number of people died, there were massive losses of material and property and environmental pollution was caused.

“The beauty of these codes is that all authorities in the country will have to adopt it to have a uniform system of fire prevention and life safety standards,” CDA Member Planning Asad Mehboob Kayani said.

He said the CDA had fire safety regulations, but by adopting this code the authority now has a comprehensive document to deal with this matter.

“I do agree, major high-rise buildings do not have completion certificates, but we have decided to implement these codes in all buildings in true letter and spirit,” he said.

Mr Kayani added that two back-to-back major fires in the capital – one in Sunday Bazaar and the other in Awami Markaz – forced the CDA’s management to adopt the codes.

The regulations were notified by the Ministry of Science and Technology in October last year, stating that federal and provincial governments, organisations and authorities both public and private would adopt the Fire Safety Provisions 2016.

Published in Dawn, September 15th, 2017