The National Consensus Commission (NCC) has requested an investigation into a fire alarm incident that disrupted Monday's proceedings in its second round of talks with political parties.
The incident occurred at the Shapla Hall of the main building of the Foreign Service Academy in the capital.
Following the disruption, NCC Vice-Chair Professor Ali Riaz asked the Foreign Service Academy to submit a detailed report on the incident within 24 hours.
Speaking after the lunch break, he said, “We take this matter seriously. We have submitted our request both in writing and verbally. We’ve been informed that a committee will be formed soon.”
The fire alarm went off unexpectedly at around 12:15 pm, shortly after the dialogue began at 11:30 am. The sudden alarm caused concern among participants, prompting Professor Riaz to temporarily suspend the session.
“The fire alarm has sounded here. So we have to leave for some time,” Ali Riaz announced at 12:20 pm. Later, all attendees left the conference room, and the alarm stopped around 12:30 pm.
The dialogue resumed at around 1:45 pm.
Professor Riaz emphasised the importance of transparency, noting that the incident was being broadcast live. “Everyone is watching, and people deserve to know what actually happened,” he said.
He further said that the commission holds the current authorities responsible for ensuring the safety and continuity of such events. “If our work is disrupted, we have the right to know why. We’ve asked the authorities to outline the cause and recommend measures to prevent such incidents in the future.”