More than half of the buildings in the federal capital lack complete fire safety arrangements, raising serious concerns about public safety, according to findings from an initial survey conducted by the Capital Development Authority (CDA).
Sources said the CDA carried out a preliminary assessment of high-rise buildings in Islamabad, categorising structures taller than 15 metres as high-rise buildings. The survey identified more than 500 such buildings across the city.
According to the survey findings, fire safety equipment was found to be incomplete in over 50 percent of Islamabad’s buildings. Widespread violations of building safety regulations were reported in both public and private sector structures. Basic fire safety installations, including fire alarms, fire extinguishers and fire hose reels, were either missing or inadequately maintained in many high-rise buildings.
Sources further revealed that several high-rise buildings located in the Red Zone also lack complete fire safety systems. Multiple blocks of the Federal Secretariat were found without fire alarms and other essential firefighting equipment. Similarly, fire safety arrangements in high-rise buildings located in the Karachi Company area were described as negligible.
The survey indicated that fire safety measures remain ineffective in several sectors, including F-11, F-10, G-13, G-14 and the Golra Mor area. In contrast, only a limited number of high-rise buildings in the Blue Area were found to have satisfactory fire safety arrangements.
Separately, a survey conducted in three districts of Karachi revealed that nearly 90 percent of buildings lack adequate fire prevention and firefighting arrangements, highlighting a broader national concern over building safety standards.
Officials said that the CDA’s Building Control Section is responsible for inspecting and ensuring compliance with fire safety requirements in high-rise buildings. However, the findings suggest weak enforcement of safety regulations despite the growing number of high-rise structures in the capital.
