KARACHI: The Muttahida Qaumi Movement's (MQM)'s Rabita committee censured the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) government in Sindh on Sunday for not acting swiftly enough to deal with a fire that broke out in a timber market in Karachi.
"It is unfortunate to say that several hours after the fire broke out, the government of Sindh was asleep, while Karachi burned all night," Rabita committee's caretaker incharge Qamar Mansoor said.
Mansoor went on to add that the fire had broken out in Lyari Town -- an area of the city that falls under the responsibility of the PPP.
"Our leader, Altaf, directed us to assist with the situation at the timber market with the help of the Khidmat-e-Khalq Foundation," he said, while addressing a press conference.
He said even female MQM workers were present at the site of the fire all night, helping affectees.
"The timber market plays a vital role in the market of Sindh," Mansoor said.
MQM leader Farooq Sattar, giving his two cents on the situation, said, "The fire could have spread had MQM workers not reached the scene of the fire."
He lauded MQM party leader Altaf Hussain, saying, "Altaf Bhai stayed up all night to monitor the situation."
Sattar questioned the lack of responsibility displayed by Sindh Chief Minister Qaim Ali Shah and Sindh Information Minister Sharjeel Memon.
"They [Shah and Memon] did not even call, let alone visit the area where this incident took place," he said.
"Several MQM members were there, including Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui and Rashid Godil, but not a single representative of the Sindh government was there," Sattar added.
The MQM leader also criticised senior members of the federal government, "We have not received any call from Finance Minister Ishaq Dar or Minister for Planning and Development Ahsan Iqbal."
He added that they could have at least addressed the media in lieu of the incident, adding that those affected by the fire should be compensated.
Shortly after the MQM leaders ended their press conference, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif took notice of the incident, and directed the Sindh government and other concerned departments to take steps to ensure such incidents are avoided at all costs.
COMMENTS (13)
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PPP-Z government..........WHAT GOVERNMENT ???
Qaim Shah, Chief Minister of Sindh, was in Larkana...er... Garhi Khuda Baksh. Bhutto's ancestral graveyard. Organizing a rally for ex presidente Zardari. He had no time for such things as a fire that burned half the timber market of Karachi. Dead people are more important than building timber, wood etc.
It is a precedent in all such cases that parliamentarians sitting on opposition benches always reach first than the. sitting government.
PPP is also known as Pio Pilao Party in Pakistan. They must be sleeping when the fire at Timber Market was on. What else Government can offer to affected timber merchants, except to give them money as compensation.
This is the maximum a government can do.
It is always very easy to put blame on someone else!
Don't you know they were celebrating the coronation of Zardari in Larkana/ Dero/ Garhi Khuda Baksh
I am sick of MQM narrative of addressing any issue. Just loud hollow words
Karachites remain deprived and dispossessed in the rural representatives led government of Sindh.MQM is the only political party which stands by the people of Karachi whether it is the monsoon rains causing death death and destruction, or the garment factory carnage or people drowning at sea or when market went up in flames.Only if Karachi is governed by its chosen representatives such incidents would reduce to minimum. Karachi needs local governance, nothing short of a strong, powerful and independent mayor would help the metropolis.
Pakistanis have the habit of crowding the place of incident without thinking about how their presence can hinder the rescue operations. This includes the media too. They don't even spare the medical facilities, not realizing that their presence is dangerous for the patients.
MQM is going nuts now. In general, It's not the job of the legislators to be present at the place of every fire that happens in a city. The government has to create the fire department, and then transfer the responsibility of putting it off to that department.
dirty dirty politics by PPP and MQM, suffers who? Karachites ! I feel so sorry for them. Time to wake now and make your sound heard and vote for the right party.
do the politics it is only your business
The reported 4 fire engines could have stood there, instead of going away to find hydrants to fill tanks, several times. If they had just stayed put, their powerful nozzles could have been fed by dozens of water tankers that supply water to houses. KMC has Trolley-mounted fast CFM reliable Pumps,which drain flooded underpasses, roads, etc.These could top-up Fire Engine tanks from waiting water tankers. A depleted W. tanker would go off to replenish, while loaded tanker in queue could take its place. The nozzles could have been deployed full-time, putting out the spreading blaze, in fast order. Hope this plan is considered next time [God Forbid] around.
That is true!