KARACHI: A fire broke out in a famous tuition centre in Gulshan-i-Iqbal on Sunday evening, according to police and Fire Brigade officials.

They said they were informed about the blaze on the roof of the building that houses ‘Practical Coaching Centre’ in Gulshan-i-Iqbal near Mochii Mor at around 5:50pm. Two fire tenders managed to control the fire at 7:10 pm. No casualty was reported.

The Fire Brigade official said the centre’s building spread over an area of over 400 square yards. The centre’s canteen and generator room were located on the roof, which had a ‘fiber shade’.

The fire badly destroyed the canteen, generator room and the shade. The building had no fire exit. The exact cause of the fire and estimation of financial loss could not be made till late in the night.

A fire official said they had reports that some students were present but they immediately left the premises.

The area SHO said that apparently a short-circuit in the generator room triggered the fire.

Four ‘robbers’ held in Surjani

The Anti-Violent Crime Cell (AVCC) of police claimed on Sunday to have busted a gang of house robbers in the city.

“The AVCC/CIA achieved a breakthrough by arresting four members of the gang involved in house robberies from Surjani Town,” said a cell official.

The held suspects were identified as Abdul Aleem, Mohammed Shaukat, Ghulam Murtaza and Abdul Qadir.

The AVCC man said four pistols, four hand grenades, one car with number plate of Islamabad and other tools used to commit house robberies were seized from them.

During interrogation, the suspects ‘confessed’ to committing house robberies and looting citizens at gunpoint in different parts of the metropolis. The AVCC has obtained their criminal record from different police stations.

The AVCC official said Abdul Aleem was involved in 25 house robberies and street crimes in various localities while there was one FIR registered against Mohammed Shaukat in the Landhi area.

Published in Dawn, October 25th, 2021