A city‑wide audit has uncovered a startling lapse in Islamabad’s fire safety regime, with the Capital Development Authority (CDA) confirming that the majority of buildings in the federal capital have never obtained mandatory fire safety certificates.
The revelation follows the deadly Gul Plaza inferno in Karachi, which prompted authorities across the country to reassess their own preparedness. In Islamabad, that meant a rapid, door‑to‑door inspection of thousands of structures.
According to the CDA, ‘a total of 6,500 buildings were surveyed’ as part of the newly completed review of Fire Safety and Hazard Control. Most buildings lacked approved fire safety plans, and completion or fire safety certificates ‘had also not been issued.’
Even among the 300 government buildings inspected, compliance was far from universal.
The results were presented during a meeting at CDA headquarters, chaired by Chairman Mohammad Ali Randhawa, with senior officials, including the Deputy Commissioner of Islamabad, in attendance.
The CDA said the survey was launched after ‘Federal Minister for Interior Mohsin Naqvi had taken notice and directed the CDA to conduct a survey of all buildings in Islamabad regarding Fire Safety and Hazard Control at the earliest.’
With the scale of non‑compliance now clear, the CDA is giving building owners and occupants just fifteen days to submit their Fire Safety and Hazard Control Certificates to the Building & Housing Control Wing.
Those who fail to comply will face consequences under the CDA Ordinance and the Islamabad Capital Territory Building Control Regulations 2020 (Amended 2023).
“This will entail fines and other enforcement measures,” the authority warned.
And the responsibility for any future tragedy will fall squarely on those who ignore the rules.
“If an accident occurs in a building due to non-submission of the required certificates, the responsibility will lie with the concerned owners and the building management,” the statement said.
Officials are urging building owners to act without delay, stressing that public safety in the capital depends on strict adherence to fire safety standards. They have been “requested to immediately ensure the safety status of their buildings and submit the necessary documents on time so that public safety standards can be maintained in the Capital.”
The CDA is also moving to tighten long‑term oversight. All buildings will now require annual inspections, with owners obliged to submit updated fire safety certificates in line with Pakistan Engineering Council codes. Regular fire drills will also become mandatory.
The survey’s findings expose a systemic gap in enforcement that has left thousands of buildings vulnerable.
With a two‑week countdown now underway, the onus is on Islamabad’s property owners to bring their buildings up to standard.