KARACHI: The fire safety audit of buildings across Karachi is underway with 1,369 buildings audited so far in all seven districts of the city.
The details were shared at a review meeting chaired by Commissioner Syed Hassan Naqvi at his office, where officials briefed him on the ongoing audit, risk assessments and enforcement measures being taken in line with the directives of the Sindh government.
According to a press statement, the Sindh Building Control Authority (SBCA) has also begun uploading building plans and maps to the Commissioner Karachi’s Safety Audit Portal. So far, plans of 207 buildings have been uploaded.
The commissioner directed deputy commissioners, the SBCA and other relevant departments to complete the audit process at the earliest, stressing the need to eliminate risk factors in buildings and ensure full compliance with fire safety requirements.
He expressed the hope that coordinated efforts would help the government prevent fire incidents in Karachi’s buildings and address their underlying causes.
The meeting was informed that follow-up inspections of several buildings had resulted in a reduction in their risk levels, while the number of high-risk and non-compliant buildings had shown a positive response as a result of ongoing safety measures.
The commissioner directed deputy commissioners to revisit buildings where further risk reduction was required, take necessary measures to eliminate risk factors and ensure that all prescribed safety arrangements were in place.
He also instructed all relevant departments to work in close coordination to ensure compliance with fire safety regulations.
Mr Naqvi called for the issuance of notices, sealing of buildings where necessary, and improvements in the organisation of fire drills. -Staff Reporter