FAISALABAD: A man has managed to get a case registered against three officials of the Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited on charges of not plugging leakage in the area which led to fire in his house, leaving seven members of his family burnt.

On Feb 9, a fire erupted in the house of Shafiq Ahmed of Chak 61- GB, Jaranwala,

as a result its roof caved in, causing a loss of Rs1 million. Shafiq, his wife Asma Babi, his two sons Abu Bakr and Umer and three daughters - Fiza, Adeeba and Rameen - sustained burns.

Submitting an application to police, Shabir Ahmed said his brother Shafiq off and on complained to the SNGPL about leakage in the pipeline crossing near his house during the last one and a half months.

He said a department team dug two holes in front of the house of Shafiq to detect leakage. The officials neither plugged the leakage nor covered the pots and resultantly it [leakage] caused fire in his house.

Shabir in his complaint said Shafiq’s family received calls from the SNGPL helpline regarding the issue and the department was told that the leakage is yet to be plugged.

The SNGPL officials booked by police included Jaranwala SDO Siddique Awan, maintenance in-charge Akhtar Kalyar and programme officer Salim. No arrest was made.

Published in Dawn, February 14th, 2019