CDA Fire Safety Requirements in Islamabad: A Simple 2026 Checklist

What happened in Islamabad in 2026?

On 26 August 2026, a fire broke out in the nursery of the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) and 14 newborn babies lost their lives. After this tragedy, the Capital Development Authority (CDA) began fire audits of buildings across the city.

By early September, CDA had sealed 14 buildings, including well-known offices and hotels, and issued notices to about 200 buildings, including more than 75 hospitals (Arab News, 5 September 2026). Three hospitals were also fined Rs. 500,000 each (ProPakistani, 31 August 2026).

The message is clear: fire safety in Islamabad is no longer "paperwork for later". It is checked, and buildings that fail can be closed.

What do CDA fire inspectors check?

CDA's Fire and Emergency Services Directorate inspects four main things:

• Fire fighting equipment: extinguishers, hose reels, pumps and sprinklers.
• Emergency exits: are they open, clear and easy to find?
• Evacuation arrangements: can everyone get out quickly and safely?
• Fire prevention measures: is the building doing things to stop fires from starting?

The most common problems CDA found were poor emergency exits, missing fire alarm systems, and not enough extinguishers or sprinklers.

Your simple fire safety checklist

1. Open every exit. Never lock or block emergency exits or stairs. Remove stored boxes, furniture and bikes from escape routes.
2. Install a working fire alarm. Every floor needs smoke or heat detectors, manual call points and loud sounders. For plazas, hospitals and malls, an addressable fire alarm shows exactly where the fire is.
3. Put the right extinguishers on every floor. Different fires need different extinguishers. See our fire extinguisher guide.
4. Have a proper fire fighting system. Taller and bigger buildings need water tanks, fire pumps, risers, hose reels and often sprinklers. Read how a high-rise fire fighting system works.
5. Mark the way out. Exit signs and emergency lights help people find the exit when the power goes off and smoke fills the corridor.
6. Get a certified fire safety plan. CDA has said fire safety plans should be certified by an engineer registered with the Pakistan Engineering Council.
7. Keep records. Write down every test and service in a logbook. Our maintenance checklist shows what to check and when.
8. Train your people. Make sure staff know how to raise the alarm, use an extinguisher and lead people out. Practise with fire drills.

Which rules apply?

The main national code is the Building Code of Pakistan (Fire Safety Provisions 2016), made by the Pakistan Engineering Council with the National Disaster Management Authority and based on the NFPA 1 Fire Code. In Islamabad, CDA has also pointed to the CDA Ordinance and the Islamabad Capital Territory Building Control Regulations 2020 (amended 2023).

Document lists and deadlines can change, so always confirm the latest requirements with CDA's Building and Housing Control Wing before you file.

How Compliance Fire Safety can help

Our licensed fire protection engineers can check your building, find the gaps and fix them: fire alarms, extinguishers, hose reels, fire pumps and complete fire fighting systems. We have worked on hospitals, malls and towers in Islamabad and Rawalpindi, including Noori Hospital in Sector G-8 and Akas Mall in Bahria Enclave.

Frequently asked questions