KARACHI:
The judicial commission probing the Gul Plaza tragedy recorded the statement of senior architect and town planner Arif Hasan. The commission also directed a fire officer from Ranchore Line Fire Station to appear at the secretariat and record his statement.
According to details, the judicial commission headed by Justice Agha Faisal heard the statement of Arif Hasan who appeared before the commission and shared his expert opinion on building safety and fire prevention measures.
In his statement, Arif Hasan said that architects must ensure adequate safety measures in building design.
He stressed that prevention of fires also requires proper maintenance of electrical installations and safe storage of LPG cylinders and other flammable materials. He pointed out that even large shopping centers often lack smoke detectors and that simply installing an alarm system is not enough; regular fire drills are also essential.
He further emphasized that safe and timely evacuation during a fire is critically important and that emergency exits must be clearly marked and kept open. According to the regulations, there must be fire extinguishers on every floor and buildings must be equipped with water sprinkler systems everywhere. He added that safety equipment must be checked and maintained regularly to keep it functional. Arif Hasan said public awareness and education are essential to prevent such tragedies. He suggested that children should receive safety training in schools and that the public should be informed about how to respond in case of fire. Buildings should also maintain adequate water storage for firefighting.
He noted that fireproof walls should be used in industrial buildings.
During the proceedings, Justice Agha Faisal noted that the SBCA had declared that its laws do not allow monitoring of buildings after their completion. The commission was informed that the SBCA can only take action against illegal construction when a complaint is lodged. He also referred to an explosion that took place in a four-storey building constructed on a 35 square meter plot in Soldier Bazaar.
Arif Hasan further explained that in informal settlements, multi-storied buildings are often built on very small plots and many surveys conducted by government institutions are not reliable.
