Karachi Division

Karachi | ReNews Pakistan
A massive fire broke out at the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) headquarters on M.A. Jinnah Road, completely destroying the office of Karachi Mayor Barrister Murtaza Wahab. Fortunately, no loss of life was reported in the incident.
According to rescue and fire brigade officials, the fire initially erupted in the kitchen adjacent to the mayor’s office and quickly spread, engulfing the entire office section. Fire brigade teams rushed to the scene immediately after receiving the alert and launched firefighting operations with two fire tenders.
Firefighters brought the blaze under control through timely action and successfully prevented it from spreading to other sections of the KMC headquarters. Officials said no person present inside the building was reported injured or killed during the incident.
Rescue officials said the mayor’s office sustained extensive damage, with most of the office equipment and belongings reduced to ashes. Sources said furniture, official documents and other office equipment may also have been damaged. However, the final assessment of the financial loss will be determined after a detailed inspection by the relevant authorities.
Fire brigade officials said the immediate cause of the fire has not yet been established. Relevant authorities have launched an investigation to determine what triggered the fire in the kitchen and how it spread so rapidly to the adjoining office area.
Officials said an inspection of the affected section is also under way to assess the extent of structural and material damage and determine the exact cause of the fire.
Karachi has witnessed several fire incidents in recent days. A day earlier, a major fire broke out at a garment factory in the Landhi Processing Zone, destroying factory equipment and materials. Rescue authorities subsequently declared the affected building unsafe.

Karachi | ReNews Pakistan
Serious fire safety deficiencies have been identified at the National Institute of Child Health (NICH), Karachi, with the hospital’s fourth, fifth and sixth floors declared highly vulnerable to fire hazards following a detailed safety audit.
The findings were highlighted in a fire safety audit conducted by the Assistant Commissioner of Saddar Sub-Division, which identified critical shortcomings in electrical, oxygen, ventilation, fire detection and emergency evacuation systems across different sections of the hospital, including the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU).
The audit raised particular concern over the arrangement of electrical and oxygen points inside the NICU, where the two systems have reportedly been installed extremely close to each other, creating a potentially dangerous fire and explosion risk.
The inspection also detected leakage in the oxygen supply line. According to the report, tape had been used as a temporary measure to seal joints in the oxygen pipeline, raising serious questions about the condition and maintenance of the hospital’s oxygen infrastructure.
Unsafe and exposed electrical wiring was also observed at various locations. The report further noted that temporary wiring had been installed for old air-conditioning units, leaving electrical connections exposed and increasing the risk of short circuits and fire.
The NICU’s mechanical ventilation system was found to be non-functional, adding another major concern in an area where critically ill newborns and infants require controlled and safe environmental conditions.
The hospital’s fire detection and warning systems were also found to be in poor condition. The audit reported that the fire alarm system was not functioning, while most of the smoke detectors installed at the facility were also out of order.
The availability of firefighting equipment was found to be inadequate, with the number of fire extinguishers at NICH considered insufficient to provide an effective first response in the event of a fire.
The audit also highlighted serious shortcomings in staff preparedness. Hospital employees had reportedly not received adequate training in fire emergency response, while regular fire drills were not being conducted. The lack of preparedness could significantly delay evacuation and emergency response during an actual fire.
Emergency evacuation routes were another major concern. The inspection found that emergency exits had been blocked by equipment and waste, potentially preventing patients, attendants and hospital staff from escaping quickly in an emergency.
The report also raised concerns over unrestricted public access to the hospital’s power room. According to the audit, the area lacked adequate firefighting arrangements and smoke detection equipment, creating an additional risk around critical electrical infrastructure.
The inspection findings have assumed greater significance in light of previous fire incidents at the hospital. The audit referred to a fire that broke out in the ICU on June 30. It also cited a January 2020 incident in which a newborn died after a fire erupted in an incubator.
Despite these incidents, the report noted that comprehensive fire safety arrangements had yet to be fully implemented across the hospital.
The audit recommended immediate corrective measures to eliminate hazards associated with electrical and oxygen systems, repair the ventilation infrastructure and restore the fire alarm and smoke detection systems.
It also called for all emergency exits to be cleared immediately, adequate fire extinguishers to be installed and regular fire safety drills to be conducted to ensure that hospital staff can respond effectively during emergencies.
The report stressed that comprehensive and effective fire safety arrangements must be implemented across NICH without further delay, particularly in areas such as the NICU where vulnerable newborns and critically ill children require immediate protection and rapid evacuation in case of fire.

Karachi | ReNews Pakistan
Only around 2 per cent of ever married women in Pakistan own land, either independently or jointly, highlighting a deep gender gap in property ownership and economic empowerment, according to a latest study by the Sustainable Development Policy Institute (SDPI).
The study found that the disparity persists despite women’s significant contribution to Pakistan’s agricultural economy. Around 67pc of employed women work in agriculture, yet only 1.5pc of agricultural households are formally registered as female-headed, underscoring the disconnect between women’s economic contribution and their ownership of productive assets.
According to the findings, approximately 2pc of ever-married women aged 15 to 49 own land alone or jointly, while 97.2pc have neither inherited land nor a house. The situation is particularly severe in Sindh, where 99.1pc of women reportedly do not own land, either independently or jointly.
The study also highlighted substantial financial and digital inequalities that further restrict women’s ability to build economic security. While 56pc of men have full service financial accounts, only 14pc of women have such accounts. Similarly, mobile wallet ownership stands at 48pc among men compared with just 11pc among women.
SDPI said the exclusion becomes even more serious as climate related risks increasingly threaten rural livelihoods. The devastating floods of 2022 caused more than $30 billion in damages and economic losses, while an estimated $16.3bn was required for resilient reconstruction.
The study noted that a large proportion of the population remains inadequately recognised as active agricultural workers. It stressed that strengthening the rural economy, particularly agriculture and livestock, is essential for broader economic growth and called for stronger partnerships between research institutions and financial-sector organisations to improve understanding of women’s economic realities.
The findings also reveal the disproportionate impact of climate change on women farmers. More than nine out of 10 women farmers surveyed experienced at least one extreme climate related event during the previous five years, including heatwaves, floods, heavy rainfall or drought-like conditions. More than 80pc reported crop losses or other negative impacts on farming.
Borrowing emerged as one of the most common coping mechanisms across the districts surveyed. In Khushab, every woman who reported using a coping strategy had borrowed money, while more than half had also sold livestock—potentially weakening an important source of future household income.
SDPI argued that women farmers are already performing agricultural work, absorbing climate shocks and borrowing to sustain their livelihoods, but the formal financial system does not adequately reflect these realities.
The study concluded that Pakistan urgently needs gender responsive and climate resilient financial solutions that do not rely solely on traditional requirements such as land ownership, individual mobility or digital access.
It proposed a practical framework for developing inclusive climate finance, with implications for banks and other financial institutions, regulators, development finance institutions and development partners, aimed at helping women protect their livelihoods, recover from climate shocks and build long-term economic resilience.