Copyright brecorder
KARACHI: President of the Karachi Chamber of Commerce & Industry (KCCI), Rehan Hanif, has expressed grave concern over the growing number of fire incidents occurring in the city’s factories, commercial centres, and residential buildings. He emphasised the urgent need for coordinated efforts between the administration, trade associations, government agencies, and building owners to inspect fire safety arrangements and ensure strict compliance with relevant laws. Speaking during a meeting with the President of the National Forum for Environment and Health (NFEH), Muhammad Naeem Qureshi, NFEH Vice President Engineer Nadeem Ashraf, and President of the Fire Protection Industry of Pakistan (FPIP), Dr Imran Taj, the KCCI chief assured full cooperation and participation of his chamber in the upcoming Fire Safety Conference and Awards. He also confirmed that the entire KCCI cabinet would take part in the event. The NFEH delegation congratulated Rehan Hanif on assuming the office of KCCI President. During the meeting, NFEH President Muhammad Naeem Qureshi highlighted that nowhere is the fire safety crisis more visible than in Karachi, Pakistan’s largest metropolis and industrial hub. Recent statistics, he said, present a disturbing picture: Karachi recorded 2,228 fire incidents in 2023, while over 2,900 incidents had already been reported by November 2024. The experts anticipate that the total number of fire incidents in 2024 would have exceeded 3,000, marking one of the sharpest increases in recent years. Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
