IT is a strange coincidence that whenever an accountability process starts, or media reports highlight gross financial or administrative irregularities, a fire erupts, destroying important files and evidence.

Important government offices and major commercial organisations the world over maintain microfilming records of such files stored in computers as a back-up.

In 2007, within a period of six months, fire engulfed the head office of the Pakistan National Shipping Corporation in Karachi, during the tenure of Babar Ghouri as federal minister for shipping. It completely destroyed all relevant files relating to misappropriation of funds and corruption.

Similar fires have burned files in Capital Development Authority, Lahore Development Authority and recently in the Sindh Secretariat. There is even a conspiracy theory about Ojhri Camp disaster in Rawalpindi.

Fire has been used as a tool to claim insurance benefits by commercial organisations in the US and Europe. Major insurance companies have employed forensic experts to detect intentional fires to preempt fraudulent insurance claims, with stringent fire safety regulations requirements.

In Lahore, a popular retail store selling branded and smuggled goods has witnessed three such fire incidences. It was a strange coincidence that a few weeks before a former flagship store located near Liberty Market was due for closure and planned to be shifted to new location fire completely destroyed the building causing losses of several billions.

Numerous such fictitious fire incidences have occurred in Karachi and Islamabad. Fire was used as a heinous tool by powerful extortion mafia in Karachi to burn down a garment factory located in Baldia, Karachi, killing over 280 poor workers when the owner refused to submit to their demand.

National Accountability Bureau and premier investigative agencies involved in clamping down on corruption need to hire forensic experts to uncover such crimes.

A. Malik

Lahore

Published in Dawn, March 10th, 2018