The lack of a fire safety system at such a large transport hub raises questions about the administration’s performance.

The Administrator of Rawalpindi and officials of the Municipal Corporation should take immediate notice and ensure fire safety arrangements.

Rawalpindi (Staff Reporter)
The Rawalpindi General Bus Stand, which is operated under the supervision of the Municipal Corporation, is at risk of a major accident due to inadequate fire safety measures. The General Bus Stand houses over 900 shops, 36 bus terminals, and a large number of business operators, while thousands, even millions, of people travel from here to various cities across Pakistan daily.
Passengers depart for various cities across Pakistan from the 36 bus terminals at the General Bus Stand. Hundreds of vehicles enter and leave the General Bus Stand daily, while offices of various transport companies, shops, and other business activities continue. Despite the large presence of citizens, passengers, shopkeepers, and transporters, the lack of effective fire safety measures is a matter of great concern.
The absence of the required fire safety system, firefighting equipment, and other safety arrangements to deal with any emergency situation could lead to a serious situation in the event of a fire, posing a risk to valuable human lives.
There have been incidents of fires at the General Bus Stand in the past, yet the administration has not implemented permanent and effective fire safety measures. Citizens and transporters have demanded that a fire safety audit of the General Bus Stand be conducted immediately, rather than waiting for a major disaster.
Citizens say that the Administrator of Rawalpindi and responsible officials of the Municipal Corporation should take immediate notice of this matter and ensure the provision of firefighting equipment, fire alarm systems, emergency exits, emergency response, and other necessary safety measures to protect human lives and property in case of any emergency situation.