• Govt identifies 562 buildings in Karachi, 898 in Sukkur, 540 in Hyderabad, 171 in Shaheed Benazirabad, 143 in Larkana and 54 in Mirpurkhas divisions
• CM Murad asks authorities to resume annual safety inspection of commercial buildings
• Says basement reserved for parking can’t be used for other purposes

KARACHI: Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah has ordered a province-wide fire safety audit of all major government, private and commercial buildings.

A decision to this effect was taken at a high-level meeting held at the CM House on Sunday. It aims to institutionalise safety protocols and protect life and property of the people in an efficient manner, said a press statement issued after the meeting.

The meeting was informed that the government had identified a total of 2,368 buildings across the province for the initial audit phase.

According to data presented in the meeting, Karachi has 562 buildings identified for the fire safety audit, Sukkur has 898 buildings, Hyderabad 540, Shaheed Benazirabad 171, Larkana 143, and Mirpurkhas had 54 buildings.

The CM approved the implementation plan with a phased timeline for compliance.

During the meeting, the chief minister stressed that a thorough audit of all key buildings is no longer optional. He said all commercial, private and government buildings must be equipped with modern fire prevention systems.

Clearly marked emergency exits and unobstructed entry and exit routes are mandatory in every facility, the CM said.

He added that the objective is to strengthen emergency preparedness at both district and taluka levels to handle unforeseen incidents effectively.

As part of the safety audit, inspection of fire alarm panels, portable extinguishers and emergency signage will be carried out as immediate measures.

In the short term, installation and operationalisation of smoke detectors, central alarm systems and hydrants will be ensured.

The long-term plan involves the complete rectification of electrical wiring and the installation of automatic fire suppression systems.

CM Shah directed the chief secretary (CS) to ensure teams of the Sindh Building Control Authority (SBCA) and Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) meet with the management of important buildings and give them a specific time frame to implement immediate-, short-, medium- and long-term fire safety measures.

He warned that in case of non-compliance, action will be taken accordingly.

The chief minister also decided that basements and mezzanines approved for car parking will be strictly used only for that purpose, and not for other uses such as shops, cabinets or warehouses.

He also approved the resumption of the annual safety inspection of commercial buildings, which was discontinued years ago.

“Electrical and other inspections, including emergency exit and entry points will be ensured through inspections,” he said.

The chief minister directed the SBCA and PDMA to issue strict notices to non-compliant buildings, warning that safety standards must be met without compromise.

The meeting was attended by provincial ministers Sharjeel Inam Memon and Nasir Hussain Shah, Adviser Gian Chand Israni, Karachi Mayor Murtaza Wahab, Chief Secretary Asif Hyder Shah, representatives of district administration, police, fire department, SBCA, PDMA and others.

Published in Dawn, January 26th, 2026