Protest: Worker killed as cattle market wall collapses

FAISALABAD:

Scores of cattle dealers staged a protest demonstration against the death of a colleague who was crushed when the wall of a cattle market collapsed on Friday.

The protesters gathered at Samundri Road and staged a sit-in. They blocked the road for traffic.

Talking newsmen, Abdul Ghaffar, one of the protesters, said substandard material had been used for the construction of walls around the model cattle market in Niamoana.

He said Shahid Farooq was sitting near the wall when it collapsed. “We pulled him out from under the debris. He died before he reached the hospital,” he said.

The protesters chanted slogans against the district administration and demanded action against contractors and officials who had approved the materials used for the cattle market.

They also demanded compensation for the heirs of the deceased.

“They take millions of rupees for building model cattle markets,” they said. “What kind of a model cattle market is this?”

Later, a team from Saddar police station met the protesters and assured them that action would be taken against those responsible.

PHA Director General Yawar Hussain told The Express Tribune that the wall was close to a PHA nursery. He said PHA workers had been tasked with monitoring and supervising construction.

He said Horticulture Director Afzal Javaid, Deputy Director Javaid and Sub Engineer Azkar had been suspended from service. He said they had been tasked overseeing construction of the wall near the nursery.

He said negligence in this regard would not be tolerated. “PHA takes its responsibilities very seriously,” he said.

He said the suspended officials would be investigated for negligence.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 1^st, 2015.