THE people in Karachi have suffered immensely in the shape of several fire incidents in the last few years, especially in commercial buildings, with the Gul Plaza fire being the most tragic of all tragedies in which nearly 100 people were burnt alive. Recently, while passing through a Gulistan-i-Jauhar locality, I saw electricity meters and electric cables dangling all around precariously at the entrance of a building. It is a clear sign that we, as a nation, are averse to the idea of learning a lesson from past tragedies. The sight showed a lack of basic public health and safety awareness among the people and the indifference of relevant authorities.

There is a serious possibility of a fire breaking out owing to the messy, insecure electric cables and connections installed on wooden planks right beside the main entrance metallic gates that happen to be good conductors of electricity. Even otherwise, the situation poses a serious risk to small children who use that passage every day. They can accidentally touch the old, hazardous, unprotected and possibly exposed electric wires and connections. Who would be responsible for any mishap in such a case?

It is high time the authorities woke up and took concrete actions. There should be regular building inspections by the authorities, which should also run awareness campaigns regarding public health and safety to ensure that the people remain safe before more tragedies occur and we lose more lives. Evacuation plans should also be made part of inspections, which is an essential component of emergency preparedness.

As a concerned citizen, I responsibly reported the matter to the relevant authorities. I am waiting to see if there would be some action against this and other such obsolete and dangerous electricity systems installed in various buildings across the city.

Shahzad Ali Channa
Karachi

Published in Dawn, November 15th, 2026