The sub-department of Emergency and Disaster Management personnel of the Metropolitan Corporation Islamabad (MCI) responded firmly in their actions by sealing the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Central Secretariat located at Sector G-8.
This sharp move followed gross violations of the Islamabad Fire Prevention and Life Safety Regulations 2010, which require upholding safety precautions in public and private buildings to prevent fire hazards and ensure occupants’ safety.
Before the secretariat was sealed, they were served with a formal notice highlighting critical deficiencies identified during the physical inspection conducted at the building. The inspection revealed a complete lack of adequate provision for firefighting or emergency response measures. In particular, the building did not have enough fire extinguishers to combat fire outbreaks effectively. A few extinguishers were also available, but they had expired, making them ineffective and dangerous.
Faulty Safety Systems Sealed by MCI
Furthermore, besides insufficient fire extinguishers, the automatic fire detection system in the building did not function; hence, it became hard to give an early warning if there was a fire outbreak. Another critical component for fire protection, such as the manual alarm system, was also discovered to have faults, raising risks further for people inside that building. Since emergency lights did not work correctly, safe evacuation would be difficult, especially when it was dark or smoke-filled.
Lack of Essential Safety Features Sealed by MCI
The inspection also pointed out other vital missing safety infrastructures. The occupants could use no emergency exit signs to find their way out safely. Again, the building had no separate water storage tanks meant only for fighting fires, nor water pumps essential in keeping water pressure while fighting against fires exist there.
Substandard Electrical Wiring Sealed by MCI
. Poorly done electric wiring may cause fires; maintaining it according to safety standards prevents such accidents. These faults, in particular, posed great danger to life and property within and around that area.
Legal Implications and Enforcement Sealed by MCI
The PTI Central Secretariat administration received a notice stating that the authorities would take legal action if they did not address the safety violations. Despite this warning, they did not implement the required corrective measures, prompting the MCI’s Emergency and Disaster Management staff to seal the building.
Arrests and Remands Sealed by MCI
In a related development, the court of Judicial Magistrate and Duty Judge Abbas Shah took legal action against PTI members. The court handed PTI’s chief spokesperson, Rauf Hassan, and other workers over to the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) on a two-day physical remand. This action was part of ongoing investigations related to various charges. Additionally, to jail on judicial remand.
Summary
The sealing of the PTI Central Secretariat underscores the importance of adhering to fire safety regulations and maintaining essential safety infrastructure in buildings. The violations discovered by the MCI’s Emergency and Disaster Management staff posed severe risks, and enforcing these regulations aims to prevent potential tragedies.
