KARACHI

Authorities in Karachi have launched a new digital fire safety application aimed at improving emergency preparedness and monitoring fire risks across hundreds of commercial and residential buildings in the city.

The initiative, introduced by the city administration and emergency response authorities, will initially cover around 800 surveyed buildings identified during ongoing fire safety inspections and compliance assessments.

Officials said the mobile-based system has been developed to digitally record building safety data, monitor fire prevention measures and improve coordination between inspection teams and emergency response departments.

The platform is expected to help authorities track fire safety compliance, identify high-risk structures and streamline inspection reporting processes in real time.

According to officials, the application will include details related to emergency exits, firefighting equipment, evacuation systems and building safety certifications to strengthen oversight of densely populated commercial zones and residential complexes.

The launch comes amid growing concerns over urban fire incidents in Karachi, where aging infrastructure, illegal construction modifications and weak enforcement of safety regulations have repeatedly contributed to deadly fires.

Authorities said digitizing inspection records and safety monitoring could improve response readiness while reducing delays associated with manual documentation systems.

Urban planning experts say the initiative reflects increasing adoption of digital governance tools within municipal management as Pakistani cities face mounting pressure to modernize disaster response systems and public safety infrastructure.

Karachi, Pakistan’s largest metropolitan and commercial hub, has witnessed multiple major fire incidents in recent years involving factories, shopping centers, warehouses and residential buildings.

Officials indicated that the app could later be expanded to cover additional buildings and integrated with broader smart city and emergency management systems in the future.

The initiative is also expected to support data-driven decision-making for fire safety enforcement and urban risk management across the city.