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| October 10, 2005 | Monday | Ramzan 5, 1426 |
Cases filed against CDA staff, builder: Margalla Towers death toll rises to 23
RAWALPINDI, Oct 9: The capital police on Sunday registered a case against the Capital Development Authority (CDA) and the builders of the 10-storey apartment building which collapsed after a strong earthquake jolted the capital city causing the death of over two dozen people, including three foreigners, and injuries to over 100.
The death toll rose to 23 on Sunday as eight more bodies were recovered from the rubbles of the building and a man died of his injuries at Polyclinic hospital. Over 80 inmates of the building were rescued alive. But over 120 people are still trapped in the building, sources told Dawn.
The rescuers had recovered 14 bodies on Saturday.
Hundreds of injured persons, including women and children, were brought to the capital hospitals from the devastated areas of Azad Kashmir by army helicopters.
Cases have been registered against the staff of the civic body on the charges of negligence and taking bribe for passing building plan and the owners of Margalla Towers for attempt of murder, police said on Sunday.
However neither any official from the CDA nor the owners of the Margalla Towers has been nominated in the FIR registered with the Shalimar police station.
Inspector Naeem Iqbal, the complainant said in the FIR that the owners of Margalla Towers with the help of building contractor had used poor material in the construction of the building, whereas the CDA staff did not check it.
“The CDA staff, the building contractor and the owners of the Towers had committed criminal negligence by using poor construction material which claimed lives of several people and left many injured,” the FIR said.
Apparently to upease public resentment, the police have registered the FIR of the incident but did not nominate any person or official of the CDA and the contractors who are being blamed by public for negligence.
The FIR No 101, carries the charges of attempt to murder, negligence on the part of the contractors, the act of a person which could claim lives of people, negligence on part of government officials and preparing fake building plan and taking bribe for passing the plan.
Meanwhile, about four persons were injured after their wagon in which they were coming to Rawalpindi from Islamabad skidded off the Murree road and crashed into an electric pole after Rawalpindi was hit by a strong aftershock at 1.30pm on Sunday, police said.
Hundreds of terrified residents and traders of Rawalpindi came out on roads reciting verses of the Holy Qurran on Sunday when a strong aftershock shook Rawalpindi at 1.30pm.
Many families have started moving out of the twin cities fearing further jolts. “I along with my four children decided to go to Karachi on last night but failed to catch a flight,” a expatriate woman who has been residing in Chaklala Scheme told Dawn.
Meanwhile, more than 850 injured victims of earthquakes from Muzaffarabad and other parts of Azad Kashmir have been brought to different hospitals in Rawalpindi since last night. A relief camp has been set up in the Railway Hospital to provide help to the injured and their relatives.
However, the Central Combined Hospital staff refused to provide information about the dead to the mediapersons.
According to the Holy Family Hospital authorities, more than 100 injured persons mostly suffering from fractures have been shifted from different parts of the quake-hit areas so far.
Similarly, 500 injured persons were being treated at the CMH, 100 at the RGH, 70 each at the DHQ and Railway hospitals.
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