Court orders action against Rescue 1122 director, HFH head

Rawalpindi :Additional District and Sessions Judge (Rawalpindi) Ijaz Ahmed Buttar on Tuesday ordered legal action against Director Rescue 1122 and former medical superintendent (MS) Holy Family Hospital (HFH) on irresponsible attitude in an incident where four girls including the bride were burnt to death in Satellite Town.

Sana 24, the daughter of Chaudhry Tariq was to get married and ‘mehndi’ ceremony was to take place at the night of the incident on January 15. Other victims were as 14-year-old Hina, 22-year-old Naina and 20-year-old Hifza. The complainant Chaudhry Tariq filed an application in court and prayed for justice. He prayed the court to take action against responsible government officers. He told the court that fire spread all around in house due to negligence of Rescue 1122 officials. Secondly, burnt girls died due to negligence of former MS Holy Family Hospital (HFH). The court directed police to take legal action against Director Rescue 1122 Abdul Rehman including some other officers and former MS Holy Family Hospital.

At that time the Rescue 1122 fire-fighters said that initial investigations suggest that the blaze could have been caused by a gas heater.

On the other hand, Sub-Inspector Liaquat Ali, who was leading the investigation, said that the fire started due to an electric short circuit and said there was no gas compressor in the house.

Former deputy commissioner (DC), Rawalpindi Muhammad Ali Randhawa in an inquiry found Rescue 1122 ‘guilty’ in this incident.