Pakistani fire safety expert Dr Muhammad Imran Taj has received an award at the United Kingdom’s House of Lords in recognition of his professional achievements and contributions to fire protection.
The award was presented by Lord Qurban Hussain at a special ceremony held in connection with the visit of a Made in Pakistan delegation to London. Dr Taj is part of the delegation, which includes prominent Pakistani businesspeople, senior corporate executives and media representatives.
The visit was organised by the Made in Pakistan Corporate Club and Pakistan Youth Parliament.
Dr Taj holds a PhD in fire safety from Italy and serves as president of the Fire Protection Industry of Pakistan (FPIP). He has also established a specialised fire safety academy in Karachi to develop professional skills and promote a culture of prevention and emergency preparedness.
Established around a year ago, the academy operates a main training campus on the National Highway in Bin Qasim Town and another campus in DHA.
In collaboration with the Sindh Home Department, the academy has trained 50 personnel from the Directorate of Civil Defence representing different parts of Sindh.
It has also organised training programmes for custodians and managers of high-rise and commercial buildings in DHA, focusing on emergency exits, evacuation procedures and the correct use of firefighting equipment.
Dr Taj, who is accredited by the UK’s Institution of Fire Engineers and the US-based National Fire Protection Association, has extended the academy’s training programmes to industrial facilities, hotels and educational institutions.
He has also called for stronger cooperation between the academy, the Sindh government and Karachi’s civic authorities to improve fire safety standards through professional training, safety audits and greater awareness among building administrators, employees, teachers and students.
Highlighting the fire risks faced by Karachi’s commercial and high-rise buildings, Dr Taj has stressed the importance of functional emergency exits, properly maintained firefighting equipment, alarm systems and regular evacuation drills to prevent avoidable tragedies.
The recognition at the House of Lords marks international acknowledgement of his efforts to strengthen Pakistan’s fire protection sector through specialised training and institutional capacity-building.