Three member committee formed to probe into Karachi airport cargo fire

Air commodore Noor Elahi Bajwa will head the committee.

KARACHI: The secretary aviation division on Thursday announced that it was forming a three member fact finding committee to probe into the alleged negligence that resulted in a fire at the cargo complex at the Karachi airport, trapping seven men in the facility's cold storage, Express News reported.

Secretary aviation division said the committee will probe into the alleged negligence in rescuing the people trapped inside the cold storage of a Gerry’s D’nata cargo station that was partially damaged in the assault by a dozen heavily armed attackers.

According to the civil aviation authority (CAA) spokesperson Abid Qaimkhani, Air commodore Noor Elahi Bajwa would head the probe committee.

“Investigation into the fire incident at the private cargo has been initiated,” said Qaimkhani.

In the aftermath of the attack on Karachi’s airport, seven workers of a private cargo company had taken refuge in the cold storage facility. Rescue efforts were too slow to recover the trapped men who all suffocated to death.

Civil society, media and political parties have heavily criticised the authorities for delays in rescuing the people trapped in the cold storage room at the airport.