Karachi: The Sindh High Court (SHC) on Tuesday ordered the Sindh Building Control Authority (SBCA) to apprise it regarding the approval procedure (including the observance of the Building Code of Pakistan and fire preventive measures) for building plans in the province; further directing both the chairman of a task force and the deputy controller of the Civil Defence Department to appear in court on November 25, a news source reported.
A two-judge bench, headed by Justice Mohammad Ali Mazhar, was hearing a petition on the implementation of the Building Code of Pakistan-Fire Safety Provisions 2016 in high-rises situated across the province.
According to the appeal filed in the high court, the federal government had notified by-laws under the Building Code of Pakistan-Fire Safety Provisions 2016 for safety of the citizens against fire hazards. The petitioner had further asked the Sindh government to implement these regulations across the province, especially in Karachi.
In response to the bench’s question regarding the time frame of the last building regulations, the SBCA counsel, Dhani Bux, stated that the Karachi Building and Town Planning Regulations were formulated in 2002. He added that he would provide details with regard to safety provisions in said regulations on the next date of hearing.
The deputy controller/focal person for Civil Defence, Shahid Masood, stated that the department concerned conducted periodical inspection of safety measures such firefighting equipment in vertical constructions across the province.
He also suggested the formulation of a coordination mechanism between the SBCA and the Civil Defence for approving plans of commercial and residential buildings; adding that the former should consult the latter with regard to the provision of emergency exits in high-rises.
