MANSEHRA: At least 13 shops and several vehicles were gutted when fire broke out at a saw machine in a market due to short circuit in Puttan area of Lower Kohistan on Saturday night.

According to police, the fire broke out at midnight and destroyed a saw machine, nine shops, a medical store and mechanic’s workshop where two excavators, a dumper truck and car were parked for repair.

The fire virtually engulfed the entire market in Upper Bazaar near the Karakoram Highway and could not be controlled by local people and the only fire tender. Deputy commissioner Arshad Naveed also called Upper Kohistan district administration for help and they sent another fire tender.

Short circuit in a saw machine is stated to be the cause of fire

“The fire was caused by short circuit from a saw machine,” said Bacha Khan, Moharar at Puttan police station while confirming huge financial losses in the incident. The district administration has estimated the financial losses at Rs130 million.

Mohammad Sarwar, one of the affected traders, said that everything in their shops was reduced to ashes.

They traders urged the government to extend them financial assistance so they could restart their businesses besides provision of one or two more fire tenders at Puttan. He also praised the role of district administration in extinguishing the fire.

“We hope that the district administration would help us in granting compensation for our losses,” he said.

KILLED: A woman died after she was hit by a bullet accidentally fired by her son in Balakot on Sunday.

The incident occurred in Patlang area where one Ihsan Iqbal was overhauling his pistol when it went off. Mohammad Iqbal, husband of Safia Bibi, told police that it was an accident and his son did not intentionally fire at his mother.

The Balakot police registered the case and have started investigation.

PPP NOMINATION: Former Mansehra tehsil president of Pakistan Peoples Party Munir Khan Swati has been nominated to the office of divisional president of the party’s labour wing in Hazara.

Talking to mediapersons here on Sunday, Mr Swati thanked his party leadership for showing trust in him, adding that he would discharge his responsibilities with honesty.

He said that PPP was the party of poor and it always followed the tradition of giving due status to them after coming into power. He said that it was PPP which had given due rights to labourers in the country.

Published in Dawn, September 1st, 2014