Islamabad’s H-9 and G-6 weekly bazaars shut this Friday over fire safety
Shoppers in the federal capital will have to wait this week. The Islamabad weekly bazaars at H-9 and G-6 will stay closed on Friday after the Directorate of Municipal Administration ordered the shutdown until the markets secure full fire prevention clearance.
The order came in a notification issued by DMA Director Mohammad Tariq Latif. It states that the bazaars will remain closed until complete and foolproof fire safety measures are in place at both sites, and until the Capital Emergency Services of the CDA grants fire prevention clearance.
The DMA also asked the director general of Emergency Services to have his staff check whether proper fire prevention arrangements exist at the two markets. The administration said it expected an early response on the matter.
Islamabad weekly bazaars: why the order matters
The H-9 weekly bazaar, better known as the Sunday Bazaar or Itwar Bazaar, draws thousands of shoppers every week with its low prices. The G-6 bazaar serves the dense inner-city neighbourhoods. Closing both on their weekly trading day will hit small vendors and regular customers hard, at least for this week.
Officials said the decision was taken in the public interest. The concern is straightforward: these are crowded markets with temporary stalls, dense electrical wiring and limited firefighting access. A blaze in such conditions can spread in minutes.
A history of fires at the H-9 market
The H-9 bazaar has a troubled record with fire. Blazes there have occurred with worrying frequency over the years, raising repeated questions about wiring standards and emergency preparedness.
The most recent incident came in June, when a massive fire broke out in Block C of the bazaar, which mostly houses shoe stalls. The flames spread quickly and drew a large-scale emergency response. That was the fifth fire at the weekly bazaar since 2017.
Each incident has followed a familiar pattern: a fire starts in one block, spreads through tightly packed stalls and temporary structures, and leaves traders counting losses. The DMA’s latest order is the strongest response so far.
What happens next
The ball is now with the Capital Emergency Services. Their teams must inspect both bazaars, identify gaps in prevention and firefighting arrangements, and issue clearance before trading can resume.
For vendors, the closure means a lost week of income at a time when inflation has already squeezed small businesses. The DMA has not said whether affected traders will receive any relief. What is clear is that the markets will not reopen on Friday without the emergency services’ approval.
This is not the first time Islamabad’s civic administration has clashed with commercial realities. The city has seen repeated friction between regulators and traders, including the recent dispute over double property tax in the G-13 and G-14 sectors covered in our earlier report on CDA and MCI administration.
FAQs
Which Islamabad bazaars are closed?
The weekly bazaars at H-9 (the Sunday or Itwar Bazaar) and G-6 in Islamabad. Both will stay closed on Friday.
Why were the bazaars shut?
The Directorate of Municipal Administration ordered the closure until foolproof fire safety measures are in place and the Capital Emergency Services grants fire prevention clearance for both markets.
How many fires have hit the H-9 bazaar before?
The June fire in Block C was the fifth fire at the H-9 weekly bazaar since 2017, according to the administration’s record.
When will the bazaars reopen?
The markets will reopen once the Capital Emergency Services completes its inspection and issues fire prevention clearance. No date has been announced yet.
