Fire erupts at Karachi garment factory, no loss of live reported

Firefighters work to extinguish a fire at a garment factory in the southern Pakistani city of Karachi on May 4, 2024. (Photo courtesy: Rescue 1122)
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Updated 04 May 2024
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Fire erupts at Karachi garment factory, no loss of live reported

  • The biggest Pakistani city, known for poor fire safety protocols, witnesses hundreds of such incidents annually
  • In November last year, a blaze at a shopping mall in Karachi killed around a dozen people and injured several others

KARACHI: A fire broke out at a garment factory in the southern Pakistani city of Karachi on Saturday, rescue officials said.

The blaze erupted on the ground floor of the garment factory in Zarina Colony in the New Karachi area, according to Rescue 1122 service.

“One fire truck is actively participating in the operation,” a Rescue 1122 spokesperson said, adding that another fire tender has been called to the site.

No loss of life has been reported in the wake of the fire.

Karachi, Pakistan’s largest city and the main commercial hub, is home to hundreds of thousands of industrial units and some of the tallest buildings in the South Asian country. 

The megapolis, known for its fragile firefighting system and poor safety controls, witnesses hundreds of such incidents annually.

In Nov., a blaze at a shopping mall killed around a dozen people and injured several others. In April last year, four firefighters died and nearly a dozen others were injured after a fire broke out at a garment factory, while 10 people were killed in a massive fire at a chemical factory in the city in August 2021. 

In the deadliest such incident, 260 people were killed in 2012 after being trapped inside a garment factory when a fire broke out.


Pakistan, Saudi Arabia discuss regional situation, upcoming engagements

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Pakistan, Saudi Arabia discuss regional situation, upcoming engagements

  • Ishaq Dar and Prince Faisal bin Farhan agree to stay in contact amid Middle East tensions
  • The two officials speak ahead of Trump’s Feb. 19 Board of Peace meeting in Washington, DC

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar discussed regional developments and upcoming international engagements with Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan in a phone call on Saturday, according to the foreign office in Islamabad.

The conversation took place against the backdrop of deepening strategic ties between Islamabad and Riyadh. In September last year, the two countries signed a bilateral defense agreement that formalized decades of military cooperation and included a commitment to view aggression against one as an attack on both countries.

“Deputy Prime Minister/Foreign Minister Mohammad Ishaq Dar held a telephonic conversation today with the Foreign Minister of Saudi Arabia, Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud,” Pakistan’s foreign ministry said in a statement.

“The two leaders discussed the evolving regional situation, forthcoming international engagements, and agreed to remain in close contact,” it added.

The two officials spoke at a time of heightened tensions in the Middle East, with the conflict in Gaza far from resolution amid ongoing ceasefire violations by Israel.

The region has also been on edge as the United States pursues nuclear negotiations with Iran, prompting regional states to call for diplomacy rather than new military flare-ups.

Both Pakistan and Saudi Arabia are participants in US President Donald Trump’s Board of Peace, which is scheduled to meet on Feb. 19 in Washington.

Islamabad and Riyadh have consistently coordinated positions over regional and global issues.

The foreign ministry did not provide further details of the discussion.