KARACHI, June 28: The provincial government seems unprepared to take legal action against the owners of the killer hoardings that caused numerous deaths following last Saturday’s storm.
The number of cases registered to date stands at only two, though media reports suggest that over 100 hoardings were blown off in the storm killing nine people on the spot.
The two cases that have been registered by police occurred in the jurisdiction of the cantonment board.
However, till now not a single case of death caused by falling hoardings has been registered at any police station falling in the limits of the city government, apparently strengthening the city government’s claim that no deaths occurred in its jurisdiction.
However, it seems that they have overlooked the death of one of their sub-engineers, who was reportedly killed by a hoarding in Gulberg Town last Saturday.
The two cases have been registered against Shaheen Advertisers and Times Advertisers at the Defence Police Station by the spouse of a victim, while the second case was registered on behalf of the state against the advertiser.
Thirty-year-old Zebunissa, wife of Habib Shaikh, was killed when she was hit by a hoarding at Kalapul during Saturday’s storm, while Shahid Ali, 20, was killed in the same manner near Gold Mart at Korangi Road.
A third case was registered at the Frere Police Station against a builder by the family of a victim who died of a collapsed wall during the storm.
Clifton Town Police Officer Azad Khan told Dawn that Aziza Mai, 35, wife of Fida, and a boy, Waseem, 10, son of Barkat, died when a wall constructed at the top floor of a building collapsed on them.
In another case that was not reported to the police, an official of Gulberg Town died when a hoarding reportedly belonging to the town administration hit him.
Syed Asif Ali, 35, younger brother of a senior journalist Syed Safdar Ali, a sub-engineer posted at Gulberg Town, was on rain emergency duty returning to work in his vehicle when the incident occurred.
He was rushed to the Aga Khan Hospital after much difficulty due to the traffic gridlock, where he was pronounced dead on arrival.
The victim had suffered severe head injuries causing profuse bleeding.
‘Four deaths by hoardings’
However, Adviser to the Chief Minister on Home Affairs Waseem Akhtar, when contacted by Dawn seeking a follow-up of his statement that cases would be lodged against the advertising companies whose hoardings have caused deaths, said that only four persons had died after being hit by the hoardings.
“We obviously cannot register cases against all the advertising companies who have put up hoardings,” the adviser remarked.
He said that it is the responsibility of all agencies like the cantonment board, city government and Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) to ensure safety standards.
KARACHI, June 28: The provincial government seems unprepared to take legal action against the owners of the killer hoardings that caused numerous deaths following last Saturday’s storm.
