KARACHI: Sindh’s building regulator on Tuesday gave owners and builders three days to address fire safety deficiencies in commercial and residential buildings, after a devastating blaze at a multistory shopping plaza in Karachi killed at least 28 people, with dozens still unaccounted for.

The Sindh Building Control Authority (SBCA) issued the ultimatum in a letter to the Association of Builders and Developers (ABAD), a leading body representing construction firms, citing fire safety audit reports by the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation and warning that failure to comply would trigger legal action under provincial building laws.

The move comes as rescue teams continue to search the wreckage of Gul Plaza, where a fire broke out late on Saturday and burned for more than 24 hours before being brought under control.

Large sections of the building collapsed during the blaze, complicating rescue efforts and forcing authorities to deploy heavy machinery to clear debris. Officials say dozens of people, mostly shop owners and customers, remain missing.

“Since SBCA will not be able to achieve the desired objectives [of strengthening fire protection mechanisms] without the cooperation of your members in this matter, you are therefore requested to direct your members to immediately comply with the fire safety deficiencies highlighted in the audit reports within three (03) days, as this is an urgent matter requiring immediate compliance,” the authority said in the letter shared by Karachi Mayor Murtaza Wahab on social media.

Rescuers recovered five more bodies on Tuesday, taking the confirmed death toll to 28, while DNA testing is being used to identify victims burned beyond recognition, police and medical officials said.

The SBCA has also issued a separate notice declaring Rimpa Plaza, another commercial building in the city’s District South, unsafe after damage caused by falling debris during the Gul Plaza fire. Authorities ordered its partial closure until repairs and structural strengthening are carried out under expert supervision.

Karachi, Pakistan’s largest city and commercial hub, has a long history of deadly fires, often blamed on poor safety standards, illegal construction and weak enforcement.

In November 2023, a shopping mall fire killed 10 people, while one of the country’s deadliest industrial disasters occurred in 2012, when a blaze at a garment factory killed at least 260 workers.

Provincial officials say inspections and enforcement will be stepped up in the coming days, but safety advocates argue lasting change will depend on sustained oversight and accountability beyond emergency directives.