KARACHI, Feb 5: The Amir Jamaat-i-Islami Karachi, Dr Merajul Huda Siddiqui, on Sunday strongly criticized the fire brigade for its tardy response to the fire incident in New Karachi and alleged that the inability of civic bodies had pushed Karachi on the verge of destruction.

Talking to affectees of the gutted Timber Market in New Karachi, he said there was a conspiracy behind the outbreak of fire.

He said the chances of short circuit were negligible and some explosive seemed to have been used in the incident.

He said the fire brigade reached the site of fire one-and-half hour late and till that everything was reduced to ashes.

He said at 4:30 in early morning all roads were empty and the delay of the fire brigade could not be justified from any angle.

Meanwhile, the JI leader visited Abbasi Nagar on Sunday and met citizens affected by police action in the area.

The citizens told him that the police entered their homes and tortured the inmates. He slated the police action and said that sheer mismanagement of the civic bodies had reached its peak.

He charged that ‘bhatta’ collection was being carried out in the name of anti-encroachment drives.—PPI