Basheer Hussain Azad
CHITRAL: Properties worth millions were consumed by fire on Friday around 2.30 am in Drosh Bazar, Chitral.
The fire burned 60 shop, 3 houses and other valuable properties of the local trader and residents. The initial assessment reveals the damages cost over 40 crore
The president of Chitral Chamber of Commerce, Tehsil Nazim Moulana Muhammad Ilyas and president Drosh traders union Haji Shad Muhammad Khan in a press conference informed the media that the inferno started from a small fire in a landa shop spreading to other locked- up shops and houses due to a blast in a CNG car. They said the fire burned 7 auto shops, 21 workshops, 26 Landa shops, 3 houses and other valuable properties.
They said the firefighters played a critical role to stop the fire advancement towards the residential areas. This saved Drosh from a possible catastrophe, they added.
The incident has destroyed the sources of livelihoods of the local traders and they called on the provincial government to assist the victims to regain their livelihood.
They demanded of the government to start the already approved rescue 1122 set up in Chitral in order to deal with emergencies and avoid further losses due to lack of proper institutional mechanism.
