Fire & workplace safety in Pakistan: what the law expects from your business

Since the 18th Amendment, occupational safety and health is a provincial subject in Pakistan, so the rules your business follows depend on where you operate. The good news: the core expectations are similar everywhere – identify hazards, prevent fires, plan for emergencies, train people and keep records.

1. The Occupational Safety & Health Acts

Punjab's Occupational Safety and Health Act 2019 requires every employer to take all reasonably practicable measures to protect workers. Among the duties in Section 3: regularly identify and control hazards, provide protective equipment at the employer's expense, take practical measures to prevent fires and explosions, and provide first aid and emergency arrangements. Sindh passed its own OSH Act in 2017.

• Written safety and health policy (s.9)
• Safety and health representatives, and a competent safety officer (s.10)
• Accident register, with accidents reported to the Inspector within 24 hours (s.13) and records kept five years (s.25)
• Inspections at least twice a year; fines up to Rs 100,000 for breaching core duties (s.15, s.19)

2. Building Code of Pakistan – Fire Safety Provisions 2016

The Fire Safety Provisions of the Building Code set out both passive protection (fire-rated walls and doors, compartments, protected and pressurised stairs) and active protection (fire alarms, detectors and sprinklers). Experts writing in The News on Sunday point out that Civil Defence fire fitness certificates often check only the minimum – mainly hydrants and extinguishers – rather than the full code.

3. What changed in 2026

After the Gul Plaza fire in Karachi in January 2026, the Punjab government ordered a province-wide fire safety drive. Reported directives include hydrants for multi-storey buildings within one month, mandatory automatic sprinklers, smoke detectors and CCTV in large buildings, monthly district fire drills and a new Fire Inspectorate Unit within Rescue 1122. After the PIMS hospital fire in August 2026, Punjab also ordered fire safety audits of hospitals.

“Fire safety measures should not remain cosmetic.”

— Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz, January 2026 (reported by The Express Tribune)

A practical checklist

• Carry out and record a fire risk assessment
• Install detection and alarm suited to each area, and test it regularly
• Keep hydrants, hose reels, sprinklers and extinguishers maintained and in date
• Keep every emergency exit unlocked, signed and lit
• Run drills and train fire wardens
• Keep inspection and maintenance records ready for audits