Lahore’s Hafeez Center Has Caught Fire Once Again

 A fierce fire has torn through Lahore’s prominent electronics market, Hafeez Centre in Gulberg, today amid persistent monsoon rains. Social media footage shows the entire five‑storey building shrouded in black smoke, while heavy rain has flooded surrounding roads.

Inside the centre, plumes of smoke billowed through charred corridors and shops, many of which appear to have suffered severe damage. Police and Rescue 1122 emergency teams were dispatched rapidly, working to bring the fire under control.

The full scale of destruction remains undetermined. Authorities are still assessing whether the building’s structure has been compromised, and shopkeepers face concerns about destroyed stock and lost business days.

Officials have yet to confirm the cause of the fire, but will likely launch an investigation into electrical faults or structural failures in light of past safety violations.

Not the First Time

This is, unfortunately, not Hafeez Centre’s first encounter with disaster. Back in October 2020, a massive fire erupted early morning on the second floor, destroying 400 to 500 shops and causing property losses estimated at Rs 2.5 to 3 billion. The fire raged for over 14 hours, drawing a large emergency response including 25 fire tenders, Pakistan Navy and Rangers personnel, and evacuating 25 people from rooftops.  A government committee later sealed the building after detecting structural cracks and non-functional firefighting systems.

LAHORE: Fire erupted in the basement of Hafeez Center, one of Lahore’s most bustling commercial complexes located in the Gulberg district. Officials from Rescue 1122 reported that the blaze originated in the lower levels and rapidly filled the building with smoke, affecting the numerous electronics shops and offices housed inside.

Emergency response teams arrived swiftly to contain the flames and evacuate occupants, preventing any reported injuries or casualties so far. However, the incident has once again highlighted ongoing concerns regarding fire safety protocols in Lahore’s commercial properties.

Early investigations suggest that an electrical fault—potentially due to exposed wiring and a lack of routine safety inspections—may have triggered the fire. Witnesses recounted scenes of chaos as shopkeepers and staff hurried to evacuate while thick black smoke enveloped large sections of the building.

Hafeez Center has experienced similar incidents in the past. A significant fire in 2020 caused extensive damage and financial loss, yet the building was reopened amid allegations of political and commercial pressure, without implementing crucial fire safety measures or structural improvements.

Sources indicate that the plaza has continued operating without proper fire safety clearances or necessary rewiring, raising serious questions about regulatory enforcement. An anonymous safety official remarked, “This isn’t an isolated event—it reflects a persistent failure to uphold basic safety standards.”

In a related development, recent directives from Punjab’s Governor to allow a previously fire-damaged building in Lahore to resume operations on an emergency basis have come under scrutiny. Many experts warn that such decisions, made without thorough inspections or safety checks, increase the risk of future tragedies.

Authorities and safety advocates emphasize that continued operation of commercial centers without comprehensive electrical rewiring, fire clearance, and structural assessments poses a severe threat to lives and property