GUJRANWALA, Dec 7: A probe team of the Gujranwala Electric Power Company said the fire in makeshift shops at the flea market was not broken out due to short circuit.

The probe committee recorded the statements of several eyewitnesses who revealed that the fire erupted when the metal wire of some stray kite touched the power transmission line which sparked.

The inquiry team said there was no reason to believe that the fire erupted due to sparking in the transformer as it was some 200 feet away from the place of incident.

Taking into eyewitnesses’ accounts, some members of the probe team had not ruled out the possibility that someone had thrown a burnt cigarette on a shop which caused a blaze.

The team estimated the loss of the Gepco installation at Rs0.25 million. Meanwhile, a Gepco spokesman said the power supply to the affected areas had been restored within 24 hours.

PROPERTY TAX: The property tax on a five-marla house is oppressive and will be got eliminated as the Punjab Assembly has already passed a resolution with majority in this regard.

This was stated by Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal parliamentary leader Ehsan Waqas while speaking at a meeting here on Sunday.

He criticized the government for its failure to control the law and order situation in the country. He said the MMA would launch a campaign against the government if the LFO issue was not resolved before Dec 18.

Jamaat-i-Islami district president Prof Obaidul Rehman Madni, city amir Maulana Obaidullah and other MMA leaders were also present on the occasion.

SUICIDE: A jobless youth committed suicide by taking a poison in Satellite Town here on Sunday.

Waqas Ahmad fell out with his parents before taking his life. He died on the spot.

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