Hospital Fire in Pakistan Kills 14 Newborns

Pakistan’s high death tolls from recent building fires have been attributed to weak enforcement of safety regulations, officials and safety experts say. In a series of incidents that have claimed dozens of lives, investigators have pointed to missing fire alarms, blocked exits and overloaded electrical systems as common factors that could have been prevented with stricter compliance checks.

The country’s fire safety framework, established under the Fire and Building Safety Act, requires regular inspections and certification of commercial and residential structures. However, reports indicate that many inspections are conducted irregularly, and penalties for non‑compliance are rarely applied. In cities such as Karachi and Lahore, fire departments have highlighted gaps in record‑keeping and a lack of coordination between municipal authorities and private developers, which has allowed unsafe building practices to persist.

In response, the Ministry of Interior has announced plans to increase inspection frequency and to introduce a digital tracking system for building permits and safety audits. The government has also pledged to strengthen penalties for violations, though critics say that without robust enforcement mechanisms, the risk of future tragedies remains high.