17 January is the darkest and saddest day for Karachi when at about 1015 PM a major fire brook out at the Gul Plaza located at M A Jinnah Road Karachi killing over 90 people besides burning billions of rupees property of the traders. Blame game is going on as usual no one is accepting its responsibilities that took a heavy toll of shoppers and owners of shops of Gul Plaza. Almost all agencies involved are responsible blaming one agency is totally unfair, besides owners of shops who pay heavy taxes also failed to ensure that safety and security measures are complete in all respects. Sind Building Control Authority is responsible to ensure that building has fool proof exit routes in emergency due to fire and adequate stock of water in case of fire breaks out. Unfortunately building plans are approved without compliant fire exits and other security measures. SBCA failed to enforce building codes over decades and allowed post-approval illegal alterations that blocked escape routes accepting huge bribe. In fact there are many departments that are involved in giving clearance to raise buildings anywhere in the city. Following agencies are responsible to ensure all laws are complied with whenever new construction is undertaken.
a. Sind Building Control Authority
b. Karachi Metropolitan Corporation. Weak coordination with fire & rescue services. They failed to undertake regular safety certification for commercial buildings
c. Fire & Rescue Department.Inspections (where done) were superficial or symbolic. No power or willingness to shut down unsafe buildings
d. Utility Providers (K-Electric, gas authorities). Poor oversight of overloaded and illegal connections. No mandatory safety clearance renewals obtained
e. Building Owners / Market Associations. They converted staircases into shops and storage prioritized rent over human life. No internal fire drills, alarms, or evacuation planning.
f. Political oversight. Chronic tolerance of violations due to pressure, bribery, and fear of backlash.
No accountability after past disasters repeat failures
This is not an accident. It is an institutional negligence compounded over years. All responsible must be Punished.
Following key failures observed in Gul Plaza and similar buildings.
No usable emergency staircases
a. No fire-resistant exit doors
b. No smoke ventilation
d. No sprinkler systems
e. No fire alarms or extinguishers
f. Narrow, congested corridors
g. Illegal electrical wiring
h. Absence of emergency lighting
i. Fire tenders unable to access site due to congestion
However, to avoid reoccurrences following measures should be taken.
a. Regulatory & enforcement. Immediate fire safety audit of all high-rise commercial buildings
Seal buildings that lack At least two independent fire exits
b. Fire-resistant stairwells
c. Building design & Retrofitting. Mandatory external fire escape staircases where internal ones don’t exist.
d. Fire exits:
Minimum width enforcement
Must open outward
Never allowed to be locked or obstructed
There is immediate need to install fire alarms, Sprinklers, smoke detectors and emergency lighting
e. Operations & management
Annual fire safety certificate required to operate
Quarterly inspections, random and unannounced
Market associations to appoint trained fire wardens
Mandatory fire drills twice a year
f. Utilities & infrastructure
Regular inspection of electrical load and wiring
Automatic power cut-off systems during fire
dedicated fire lanes-no parking, no encroachments
g. Governance reforms (long-term but critical)
Digitize building approvals & inspections (reduce human discretion)
Independent Fire Safety Authority (separate from SBCA) Whistleblower protection for inspectors
Citizen reporting app for blocked exits & violations
Karachi does not lack laws. Karachi lacks enforcement, accountability, and political will. Until someone actually goes to jail after such tragedies, fires will keep happening-and markets will keep burning.
