Islamabad court seeks explanation over enforcement of fire safety standards
The Islamabad High Court has sought explanations from Pakistan’s federal government and other respondents over the alleged failure to enforce fire safety standards in the capital. Chief Justice Sardar Mohammad Sarfaraz Dogar gave them two weeks to submit a report and paragraph-wise comments on a petition seeking an audit of all buildings in the city.
The court also asked whether buildings are being allowed to operate without mandatory fire safety no-objection certificates, or NOCs. The current rules empower authorized bodies to inspect facilities, require violations to be remedied, and order the evacuation of unsafe buildings.
Petition filed after hospital fire
The case is being heard following a fire on August 26 at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (Pims), which killed several newborns. The petitioner argues that the incident exposed serious shortcomings in the enforcement of fire safety requirements in Islamabad.
According to the petitioner, many commercial, residential, educational and medical buildings are used without proper firefighting equipment, emergency exits and the required NOCs. As Dawn reports, the Islamabad Fire Prevention and Life Safety Regulations 2010 provide for building inspections, recording deviations from standards, and notices to owners or occupants requiring them to remedy violations.
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If a building is deemed unsafe, the director of emergency and disaster management may order its evacuation. If such an order is not complied with, the rules provide for the removal of people with police assistance and the sealing of the building in the presence of a magistrate.
Petitioner’s demands and further proceedings
The petitioner asks for a comprehensive audit of every building in Islamabad rather than limiting the inspection to Pims. He also requests that facilities operating without fire safety NOCs be identified and publicly listed, and that premises where violations have not been remedied be sealed until compliance is achieved.
Separately, the petitioner proposes linking the registration of hospitals and educational institutions to the possession of a valid NOC. He cited Articles 9, 14 and 25 of Pakistan’s Constitution, stating that failure to comply with fire safety standards violates rights to life, dignity and equality.
The court combined this case with another proceeding concerning a judicial inquiry into the fire at Pims. Lawyer Azhar Siddiq said that the situation at the hospital had already been considered last year by a parliamentary health committee, which had approached the prime minister and the speaker. Federal authorities were instructed to provide a detailed report, including on actions taken after the committee’s previous report. The next hearing was scheduled for September 24.
