Pakistan

In flames: Fire razes an entire hamlet

Residents of Ashoka, a community with 38 houses in Bahrain, lose everything.

Fazal Khaliq October 10, 2011

SWAT:

A hamlet of 38 houses was razed to the ground by a fire in Swat on Saturday.

The fire erupted around 3pm, engulfing Ashoka, a hamlet of the Ayeen village in Bahrain, some 70 kilometres from Mingora and three kilometres from the highway. Locals said the fire started due to a short circuit.

“The fire erupted from the house of Mohammad Sher Jan and immediately spread to the neighbouring houses. The men were busy in fields with only the women at home; by the time we reached our houses, the fire was out of control,” said Mian Gul Ambar, an eye witness.

Mohammad Sher Jan, another house owner, told The Express Tribune, “My 12 bedroom house and everything inside it including jewellery and cash was burnt to ashes. Our animals also died in the fire.”

Jan said he used his entire life’s savings to build the house. “We will never be able to reconstruct our houses without the government’s help, not even in a thousand years. We don’t even have enough money to migrate or rent a house.”

An old lady sitting near a burnt down house, said, “My whole world is lying in front of me in ashes. I have nothing left.” Children tried to dig out stuff from the burnt remains while some people desperately tried to put off the fire.

District Revenue Officer Niaz Mohammad, present on the scene, said, “The government is aware of the tragedy. We have completed the survey and will soon be assisting the affected people with their needs.” Ehsanullah Khan, a board member of the Sarhad Rural Support Programme, was helping the people with non-food items and tents.

Zubair Torwali, a social activist and educationist of Bahrain said cash grants, food items, clothes, blankets and tents are required in the area. “The affected people should be rehabilitated immediately. Some of the affected persons are handicapped, orphans and widows. Mere shelters would be no solution,” he added.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 10^th, 2011.