Karachi Division

Karachi | ReNews Pakistan
The Sindh government has ordered comprehensive fire safety audits of school buildings across the province as part of efforts to strengthen emergency preparedness and reduce fire related risks at educational institutions.
Under the decision, relevant authorities will assess fire safety arrangements in schools and compile the findings for uploading to the website of the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA). The exercise is aimed at establishing a province-wide record of fire safety conditions and identifying gaps requiring corrective measures.
According to a government notification, the School Education Department has appointed Deputy Secretary Ashraf Hussain Ansari as the focal person to coordinate matters related to the fire safety audits and facilitate communication among the departments and institutions concerned.
The latest move follows fire safety directives issued by the Sindh Directorate of Inspection and Registration of Private Institutions in August. The directorate had instructed privately managed schools to ensure that all mandatory fire prevention and safety systems remain operational at all times.
Schools were directed to install and regularly test fire alarms and smoke detectors, while suitable fire extinguishers were required on every floor and at other critical locations. Authorities also instructed schools to ensure that emergency exits, staircases and evacuation routes remain unlocked, clearly marked, adequately illuminated and free of obstructions.
The safety requirements also cover periodic inspection of electrical wiring and switchboards, laboratories, kitchens, generator rooms and other areas identified as potential fire hazards.
Educational institutions have further been instructed to display updated evacuation plans and emergency instructions at prominent locations. Schools are required to conduct at least three fire evacuation drills during each academic year and maintain proper records of the exercises.
The directives also place emphasis on staff preparedness, requiring teaching and non-teaching personnel to receive training in fire emergency response, evacuation procedures and basic first aid.
Through the province wide audit, the Sindh government is seeking to move beyond routine safety instructions toward systematic monitoring of fire preparedness in school buildings. The data collected through the process is expected to help authorities identify vulnerable institutions and improve compliance with prescribed fire safety standards.

Karachi | ReNews Pakistan
Some wealthy Pakistanis are reportedly reducing their exposure to Dubai’s property market and redirecting part of their investments toward high end residential and high rise projects in Karachi as the Gulf crisis raises concerns over regional security and economic stability.
According to a report published in Arab News, developers, property advisers and market representatives told that the shift remains selective rather than a mass withdrawal. Karachi’s Defence Housing Authority (DHA) has emerged as a preferred destination for some investors seeking to rebalance their property portfolios.
Mohammed Hassan Bakshi, chairman of the Association of Builders and Developers of Pakistan, said some Pakistani investors were either selling Dubai properties or waiting to liquidate their assets before transferring part of the proceeds to Pakistan.
A Dubai-based Pakistani investment adviser also reported similar activity, saying some clients had reduced their Dubai holdings and redirected funds to Karachi. She described the trend as portfolio rebalancing rather than a large-scale exit, with some investors reportedly reducing their holdings from several properties to a smaller portfolio.
The Arab News further says that the developments come amid a slowdown in Dubai’s property market following the escalation of the US-Iran conflict and wider regional tensions. Goldman Sachs estimated that UAE real estate transaction volumes fell 37% year on year during the first 12 days of March and 49% compared with February. Some Dubai properties were subsequently offered at discounts of 12–15%.
ValuStrat reported that Dubai property sales declined another 19% in May after falling 4% in April. Analysts said the conflict had unsettled some investors who had viewed Dubai as a politically stable, tax-free haven during previous regional crises.
Pakistan’s Remittance Inflows Surge, but Property Link Remains Unclear
Official data show a significant increase in money flowing into Pakistan, although the figures do not establish whether the funds originated from overseas property sales.
Workers’ remittances from the UAE increased about 13% year-on-year to $5.55 billion between February and August. UAE inflows alone rose 36% in May to $1.01 billion.
Pakistan’s overall remittances reached $3.66 billion in August, up 16.5% year-on-year, while inflows during July and August climbed 14.7% to $7.3 billion.
Roshan Digital Account (RDA) inflows also increased 52.2% year-on-year to $1.74 billion between March and August. April recorded an 81.4% increase to $321 million, while the number of RDA accounts rose by 56,737 between February and August to 966,144.
Market representatives cautioned that rising remittances should not automatically be interpreted as evidence of large-scale investment repatriation. Zafar Sultan Paracha of the Exchange Companies Association of Pakistan said the crisis may have supported inflows, but official data cannot distinguish regular household remittances from investment transfers.
Meanwhile, Bakshi claimed that demand had pushed up prices in some Karachi luxury areas, saying a DHA plot that previously sold for Rs400 million was now being offered at Rs600 million. However, no independent transaction data were available to verify the reported increase or establish how much was driven by returning overseas investment.
JS Global Capital research head Muhammad Waqas Ghani said remittance growth was broad-based and partly reflected greater use of formal foreign exchange channels, while acknowledging that some precautionary transfers linked to Gulf tensions may also have contributed.

Karachi | ReNews Pakistan
The federal government is moving towards finalising the land lease model and incentive framework for the Karachi Industrial Park, with authorities seeking to accelerate industrial development, attract new investment and promote export-oriented businesses.
The development was reviewed at a meeting chaired by Federal Minister for Economic Affairs Ahad Cheema on Thursday. Officials briefed the minister on the proposed land lease package and incentives, which are nearing finalisation ahead of the planned early launch of the industrial park.
Cheema directed the relevant authorities to expedite development work and ensure that industrial units become operational at the earliest possible stage. He stressed that the project should be structured to support industrialisation, boost exports and ensure productive utilisation of available land.
The proposed framework would provide competitive land lease terms and other incentives to attract industrial investors while linking the allocation of land and concessions to clearly defined export commitments.
Export commitments to shape land allocation
During the meeting, officials presented different development and investment models for the industrial park. Under the proposed approach, preference would be given to industries with significant export potential, with incentives tied to their ability to meet specified export targets.
Officials also briefed the minister on proposals to prioritise industrial units expected to export more than 50% of their production. The framework is intended to facilitate businesses whose operations are predominantly focused on international markets.
Cheema emphasised that the Karachi Industrial Park should contribute directly to the government's broader economic objectives by encouraging industrial investment, increasing exports and promoting more productive use of land.
The proposed land lease and incentive framework is expected to provide investors with greater clarity while ensuring that the industrial park remains focused on export-led industrial growth.
The government is now working towards completing the framework and moving the project into its implementation phase, with the objective of bringing industrial units into operation as quickly as possible.