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ISLAMABAD, Jan 19 (APP):The Capital Development Authority (CDA) on Monday announced plans to introduce modern firefighting techniques, including the use of drones, to deal with fire incidents in high-rise buildings in the federal capital.
The decision was taken at a high-level meeting chaired by CDA Chairman and Chief Commissioner Islamabad Muhammad Ali Randhawa at the authority’s headquarters to review fire safety measures and emergency preparedness for sensitive and tall structures.
The meeting was attended by CDA Member Finance Tahir Naeem, Member Planning and Design Dr Khalid Hafiz, Deputy Commissioner Islamabad Irfan Nawaz Memon, the directors general of Building and Housing Control and Capital Emergency Services, along with other senior officials.
Officials told the meeting that under the new plan, drones would be used to assist firefighting operations in high-rise buildings, particularly in situations where access for rescue teams is difficult. The initiative is part of a broader effort to modernise the capital’s emergency response system.
The meeting was also informed that approval of a building’s fire safety plan from the CDA is mandatory before the construction of any new structure and that fire certification in line with Pakistan Engineering Council codes is compulsory for all new public and private buildings.
Randhawa directed that all high-rise buildings in Islamabad be surveyed and categorised, and stressed that functional fire safety systems and emergency exits must be ensured in every such building.
He further called for a clear mechanism to ensure that old and sensitive buildings fully comply with fire safety regulations and directed that the fire safety audit system be made more effective and strictly implemented.
The CDA chairman also instructed Capital Emergency Services, in coordination with the district administration, to hold regular emergency simulation exercises in high-rise buildings and to immediately fulfil the department’s human resource requirements.
The meeting also reviewed plans for setting up a modern, digital-based Emergency Operation Centre and establishing new rescue stations at key locations in the city.
Randhawa said work was underway on a comprehensive legal and operational framework to deal with emergencies and disasters in the federal capital, adding that protecting citizens’ lives and property remained a top priority.