The District Administration South has sealed two major commercial buildings in the Saddar area on Saturday for violations of fire safety regulations.
Officials said four floors of Japan Market, containing 100 shops, were sealed due to fire safety hazards.
Deputy Commissioner Javed Nabi Khoso said eight floors of Paradise Centre, containing around 400 shops, warehouses and workshops, were sealed. During inspections, serious deficiencies were found in the firefighting system, emergency exit routes and other mandatory safety arrangements.
He added that this step has been taken to prevent any untoward incident and ensure the safety of citizens. The action was taken in view of the protection of public life and property and possible fire hazards.
Earlier, Sindh Chief Secretary Asif Hyder Shah chaired a high-level meeting to review the province-wide status of fire safety compliance and enforcement measures in commercial and residential buildings. During the meeting, a briefing was presented on the ongoing inspection and it was said that a total of 3,633 buildings had been identified and inspected throughout the province.
Out of these, notices have been issued to 3,319 commercial and residential buildings for various fire safety deficiencies and non-compliance with prescribed regulations. The risk assessment revealed that 889 buildings have been categorized as high risk due to serious safety violations and absence of essential fire prevention measures.
Additionally, 916 buildings were classified as medium risk, requiring corrective measures within a specified timeframe, while 912 buildings were assessed as low risk with comparatively minor improvements recommended.
In respect of high-risk buildings, the chief secretary ordered the formulation of a definitive timeline for immediate compliance and directed strict enforcement action against non-compliant properties. He instructed that the sealing of buildings or other strong regulatory measures be taken where necessary to eliminate imminent risks. He made it clear that no compromise would be made on public safety and that high-risk buildings must not be allowed to operate without fulfilling mandatory fire safety standards.
