Pakistan has seen a run of serious fire incidents in the last year and this year. From commercial plazas in Lahore to a shopping mall in Karachi to, most tragically, a hospital ward in Islamabad. Each one is a reminder that the fire brigade is the last line of defense, not the first. The first line is the fire alarm, suppression, and wiring systems already installed in a building or, too often, the ones that were never installed at all.
GreenTech as a leading fire safey provider covers how the fire brigade (fire department) works in Pakistan, the fire brigade number in Pakistan by city, and what recent, real incidents tell us about where fire safety systems are still falling short.
A fire brigade, also called a fire department, is the emergency service responsible for putting out fires, rescuing people trapped inside burning buildings, and handling related emergencies such as gas leaks or building collapses.
In Pakistan, fire brigades operate at the city or district level, usually under a development authority, cantonment board, or the provincial Rescue 1122 network, depending on the city.
Who Comes in a Fire Brigade?
A typical fire brigade response team includes:
- Firefighters, who handle hose lines, ventilation, and search-and-rescue
- Fire officers, who direct the operation and assess structural risk
- Rescue and paramedic staff, for injuries and smoke-inhalation cases
- Fire tenders/engines, carrying water, foam, and rescue ladders
For larger fires like the ones covered below multiple fire tenders and outside agencies (police, health department, and sometimes the army) are called in together.
Is Fire Brigade 999 or 1122 in Pakistan?
This is one of the most searched questions, and the confusion is understandable: 999 is the emergency number in the UK, not Pakistan. The fire brigade phone number and fire brigade helpline across Pakistan is 1122; it covers fire, ambulance, and rescue services. Some cities also maintain a separate local fire brigade helpline through their development authority worth saving alongside 1122.
How Do I Call 1122?
Simply dial 1122 from any mobile or landline; no area code needed. Give your exact location (landmark, street, or floor number if it’s a building), the nature of the emergency, and stay on the line until the operator confirms dispatch.
Fire Brigade Numbers in Pakistan: City by City
The fire brigade number in Pakistan is the same nationwide integrated emergency number, but the local fire brigade / fire department office differs by city:
City | Fire Brigade / Rescue Number |
Islamabad | Islamabad fire brigade number, coordinated by CDA Fire Wing + Capital Emergency Service |
Rawalpindi | Fire Brigade Number Rawalpindi, Rescue 1122 Punjab |
Lahore | Also backed by the Punjab Safe Cities Authority monitoring in high-risk commercial areas |
Karachi | Sindh Rescue 1122 and the Karachi Fire Department also maintain ward-level stations |
Faisalabad | Rescue 1122 Punjab |
Multan | Rescue 1122 Punjab |
Peshawar | Rescue 1122 Khyber Pakhtunkhwa |
Quetta | Balochistan Rescue 1122 |
Gujranwala / Sialkot | Rescue 1122 Punjab |
1122 is the number to save regardless of city; it’s Pakistan’s integrated fire, rescue, and ambulance line, so this single number works whether you’re calling the Islamabad Fire Brigade number, the Rawalpindi Fire Brigade line, or reporting a fire anywhere else in the country. If a call doesn’t connect, the fire department’s local ward or cantonment office is the backup most are listed with your city’s development authority or cantonment board.
Recent Fires in Pakistan: What Went Wrong, and What Would Have Helped
News coverage of a fire usually stops at “under control,” but for anyone responsible for a building’s safety, the more useful question is what allowed it to spread and what system was missing or malfunctioning.
Hafeez Center, Lahore
Hafeez Center, Lahore has caught fire more than once, most notably a major blaze in October 2020, and again more recently.
In both cases, the building’s age, exposed wiring, and gaps in fire-safety compliance were cited as contributing factors, with reports noting the plaza had reopened after 2020 without fully implementing the fire-safety and rewiring upgrades that were recommended at the time.
It’s a clear case study in why a fire alarm system in Pakistan and an updated fire schematic aren’t one-time installs; they need to be maintained and re-certified as a building ages and paired with a proper security alarm system in Lahore for buildings that combine high foot traffic with valuable inventory.
LuckyOne Mall, Karachi
A fire broke out in the cold-storage area of a department store inside LuckyOne Mall on Karachi’s Rashid Minhas Road.
This incident is actually a good example of a system working as intended: the mall’s ventilation and fire-safety arrangements were activated, fire tenders brought the blaze under control within a few hours, and the mall reopened the same evening with no serious injuries.
It’s a useful contrast to Hafeez Center proof that a functioning, well-maintained fire suppression system genuinely limits damage and downtime.
PIMS Hospital, Islamabad
In August 2026, a fire broke out in the nursery of the Mother and Child ward at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) in Islamabad, reportedly triggered by an electrical fault in an air-conditioning unit.
The fire resulted in the tragic loss of newborn lives and prompted a government inquiry into the hospital’s fire-safety measures, electrical infrastructure, and emergency response procedures. It’s a heartbreaking reminder that fire safety in critical care environments NICUs, operating theatres, ICUs isn’t optional. Facilities like this need addressable fire alarm systems for hospitals, properly documented electrical and fire schematics, and clear, unobstructed evacuation routes that are tested, not just installed on paper.
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Common Causes Behind These Fires
Across almost every major fire in Pakistan’s commercial and institutional buildings, the same causes keep repeating:
- Electrical short circuits in old or overloaded wiring
- Faulty or unmaintained AC/HVAC units
- Lack of a documented, up-to-date fire schematic for the building
- No functioning fire alarm or sprinkler system, or one that was never inspected after installation
- Blocked or locked emergency exits
How Fire Safety Systems Reduce Reliance on the Fire Brigade
The fire brigade’s job is damage control after a fire starts. The real prevention layer is what’s already inside the building:
- Fire alarm system in Pakistan: early detection before smoke becomes a structure-wide fire
- Addressable fire alarm system pinpoints the exact zone or floor, critical in multi-story buildings like Hafeez Center
- Fire sprinkler systems in Pakistan contain a fire before the brigade even arrives
- Fire extinguisher in Pakistan The first five minutes matter most
- Fire alarm system in Islamabad and fire alarm system in Rawalpindi for local installation, inspection, and compliance support.
- While professional fire brigade services are essential during emergencies, keeping a suitable fire extinguisher for your car can help you respond quickly to small vehicle fires before they spread.
FAQs
A fire brigade is the emergency service that puts out fires and rescues people from burning buildings, typically operating under a city, cantonment, or Rescue 1122 authority in Pakistan.
Firefighters, fire officers, rescue/paramedic staff, and fire tenders equipped with hoses, water, foam, and rescue equipment.
No, 999 is the UK’s emergency number. In Pakistan, fire, ambulance, and rescue emergencies are handled through 1122.
Dial 1122 from any phone, state your exact location and the nature of the emergency, and stay on the line until dispatch is confirmed.
1122 for both cities, with Islamabad’s CDA also operating its own coordinating fire wing.
Fire brigade is commonly referred to asآتش بجھانے والا عملہ (the fire-extinguishing staff) in Urdu.
The Bottom Line
Hafeez Center, LuckyOne Mall, and PIMS are three very different buildings a market, a mall, and a hospital but the lesson is the same: the fire brigade can only limit the damage once a fire has already started.
Working fire alarms, suppression systems, and an up-to-date fire schematic are what determine whether an incident looks like LuckyOne Mall (contained, no injuries) or like the others. If your building commercial, industrial, or institutional hasn’t had its fire safety systems audited recently, that’s the gap worth closing before the fire brigade has to be called at all.
GreenTech Solutions helps businesses strengthen their fire safety with reliable detection, suppression, and emergency protection systems. Get your building audited by fire safety specialists before a small incident becomes a major loss.
