Lone survivor to testify in 2019 house fire case

Counsel claimed fire-fighters failed to put out flames, demanded a case against them

RAWALPINDI:

The Lahore High Court (LHC) Rawalpindi Bench ordered the police to record the testimony of the lone survivor in a house fire incident wherein four sisters, including a bride-to-be, died two days before the wedding.

The victims’ family has blamed the rescue service and the fire brigade of late response to the blaze at the house in Satelite Town on January 15, 2019. According to report published in The Express Tribune, firefighters said that initial investigations suggest that the blaze could have been caused by a gas heater.

The deceased included 24-year-old Sana Tariq — the bride-to-be — 25-year-old Minahil 22-year-old Naina, 20-year-old Hifza and 14-year-old Hina.

The case was is underway to fix the responsibility on who was responsible for the untimely death of these young women.

LHC Rawalpindi Bench Judge Justice Sadiq Mehmood Khurram has directed the Sadiqabad Station House Officer (SHO) to record the statement of the survivor, an under-aged girl.

During the hearing of the case, the counsel for the victims’ family, Usman Ibrahim Satti Advocate maintained that the child was a witness of the whole occurrence.

The counsel said that the police did not register the case as per their request and declared the incident an accident. He added that the police registered a report only as a formality.

Satti pleaded with the court to issue directives to Sadiqabad SHO to record the statement of the lone survivor in the incident who witnessed it all and survived the ordeal.

The lawyer asserted that Rescue 1122 did not arrive at the site timely despite prompt information, adding that the fire brigade did not have sufficient water, the pipes were flawed and the rescue workers were not in their uniforms either.

The counsel further stated that the firefighters failed to put out a small house fire and demanded to register a case against them.

After the conclusion of arguments, the court directed Sadiqabad SHO to record Nimra's testimony and take appropriate action.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 8^th, 2021.