Repair works, reconstruction in timber market soon: Ebad

Karachi
Repair and reconstruction of the buildings that were damaged in the timber market blaze in Old Haji Camp on December 28 would be started soon, the Sindh governor told the media on Monday during his visit to the disaster site.
Accompanied by the administration of the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation, the city commissioner, the provincial police chief, relevant lawmakers and representatives of the business community, Ishrat-ul-Ebad said 13 buildings in the locality had to be reconstructed and five others needed repairs.
Ebad said a committee comprising the deputy commissioner of District South as well as representatives of the Karachi Chamber of Commerce & Industry and the association of the timber market traders had been constituted.
He said the committee would assess the financial losses incurred by the affected people and report back to the government.
The commercial losses, however, would be assessed very soon and compiled for the assistance of the relevant government authorities, he added.
The governor said Malik Riaz Hussain, owner of the Bahria Town project, was in touch with him on a daily basis and was keen on extending financial assistance to the government for timely relief and rehabilitation of the affected families.
He said the government had established praiseworthy precedents on two occasions when timely relief and assistance had been provided to the affected families and business owners of the Abbas Town and Bolton Market incidents.
The government would stand with the affected families and business owners of the timber market blaze until their complete rehabilitation, he added.
He praised the media for their coverage of the blaze which, he said, activated various quarters to rise to the occasion and provide immediate assistance to the affected people.
He also praised the courage and activism of the business owners and residents of the timber market, who had carried out the initial relief work following the blaze.