KARACHI:  Chief Minister (CM) Sindh, Syed Murad Ali Shah on Sunday ordered a province-wide fire safety audit of all major government, private, and commercial buildings, Beyond the Time News reported.

The chief minister presided a high-level meeting today that held at the CM House, wherein he approved a comprehensive fire safety audit of important government and non-government commercial buildings across the province.

An initial 2,368 buildings will be inspected, with strict timelines for compliance and firm action against violations to ensure public safety.

The initiative aims to institutionalise safety protocols and better protect public life and property.

Safety mandates

During the meeting, the chief minister stressed that a thorough audit of all key buildings is no longer optional.

He said all commercial, private, and government buildings must be equipped with modern fire prevention systems.

Clearly marked emergency exits and unobstructed entry and exit routes are mandatory in every facility, the CM said. He added that the objective is to strengthen emergency preparedness at both district and taluka levels to handle unforeseen incidents effectively.

Audit scope & targets:

The chief minister said that through various reports and inspections, the government has identified a total of 2,368 buildings for the initial audit phase across the province.

The breakdown of the 2,368 building identifed for inityial audit is as follows:

Sukkur has 898 buildings, Karachi 562, Hyderabad 540, Shaheed Benazirabad (SBA) 171, Larkano 143, and Mirpurkhas 54 buildings.

The CM approved a three-phase implementation plan with a phased timeline for compliance.

Inspection of fire alarm panels, portable extinguishers, and emergency signage will be carried out as immediate measures. In the short term, installation and operationalisation of smoke detectors, central alarm systems, and hydrants will be ensured.