Factory blast: LHC tells investigators to submit progress report by Feb 28

Petitioner has sought registration of criminal cases against those responsible for the blast.

LAHORE: The Lahore High Court has sought a progress report from the Crime Investigation Agency by February 28 in a petition seeking registration of murder cases against the responsible for the Multan Road medicine factory blast.

In Friday’s hearing, a law officer told the court that the CIA has been entrusted to investigate and fix responsibility for the incident.

Petitioner Advocate Muhammad Azhar Siddique has argued that the Provincial Disaster Management Authority has failed miserably. He said that the PDMA, which had been inaugurated by the Punjab chief minister himself, could not play its due role in rescuing victims because it does not have a director-general.

Siddique also pointed out that the government does not have a mechanism to check the operations of medicine or other factories that are located in residential areas. Moreover, he says, there is no system to check violation of labour and building laws by factory owners.

The petitioner prayed the court to direct the government to procure a complete list of factories established in the province for manufacturing drugs and have been granted licenses under the Drug Act of 1976. A list of those factories which are illegally manufacturing the drugs should also be provided, he said.

Siddique has also prayed that the government be directed to appoint a director-general of the PDMA. Further, he seeks, authorities should be ordered to register a criminal case against government officials and factory owners who are responsible for the blast.