Awaiting approval: ‘New policy can reduce fire deaths’

At least 16,500 people are killed and around 164,000 are injured or disabled in separate fires every year in Pakistan.

ISLAMABAD: At least 16,500 people are killed and around 164,000 are injured or disabled in separate fires every year in the country. According to a policy draft the fire incidents cause severe property damage and lead to insurance claims worth Rs 400 billion. But despite the loss of property and lives the government has yet to adopt a National Fire Safety Policy. Senior Marine Captain Suleman Mahtab who is also an expert over Pakistan’s National Fire Safety Policy claims that implementing the fire policy will greatly reduce the loss. He said that the policy proposes a Judicial Commission which would look into the matter and thoroughly investigate the incident. “There exists no Fire and Safety Act in Pakistan.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 24^th, 2012.