A fire safety assessment carried out by the Punjab government has exposed serious lapses in high-rise buildings in Rawalpindi, revealing that just one out of 163 structures meets the province’s prescribed fire safety regulations.

The inspection was initiated on the directives of Punjab Chief Minister (CM) Maryam Nawaz in the aftermath of the tragic Gul Plaza fire in Karachi, which killed at least 63 people and left several others unaccounted for.

The audit, conducted under the Community Safety Building Regulations, examined all high-rise buildings in the district. Data shared by Rescue 1122 shows that while Rawalpindi has 163 high-rise buildings, only a single commercial property is fitted with a fully functional and automated fire protection system.

Rescue officials said the buildings were divided into three safety categories. Only one was placed in Category A, indicating full compliance. Meanwhile, 11 buildings fell into Categories B and C, where fire safety arrangements were found to be incomplete, while 151 buildings classified as Category C were deemed entirely unsafe.

The report indicates that most non-compliant buildings are missing essential safety features, including fire-fighting equipment, emergency exits, smoke ventilation systems, and automatic fire alarms.

Authorities have issued notices to owners of commercial buildings that lack proper fire safety installations. Rawalpindi Development Authority (RDA) Director General Kinza Murtaza said owners have been given time until February 28 to ensure compliance, warning that properties failing to meet the requirements will be sealed.

Records also show that 1,712 fire incidents were reported in Rawalpindi last year, resulting in four fatalities and 107 injuries, placing the district third in Punjab for fire-related emergencies.

Rescue 1122 stated that its average response time during emergencies last year remained under eight minutes, adding that the department has adequate resources to handle fire incidents.

Officials further clarified that while commercial building plans are approved by the Municipal Corporation, oversight of high-rise structures falls under the RDA. Construction of high-rise buildings requires mandatory no-objection certificates (NOCs) from the Environment Department, Civil Defence, and Rescue 1122.