20 shops, one house gutted as market catches fire

MANSEHRA: At least 20 shops and a house were gutted when a huge fire broke out apparently when an electric short-circuit engulfed the entire market in Battal area of district in early hours on Friday.

“The fire, which erupted because of a short-circuit at one of the shops and its flames suddenly gutted 20 shops and a house,” Amir Khadam, the Rescue 1122 spokesman told reporters.

The fire, which according to eyewitnesses, started in the wee hours from one of the shops, engulfed the entire market.

It was put out after hectic efforts for four hours.

“Thank God, there was no loss of life in the incident as not a single person was injured even slightly as fire tenders of Mansehra,

Baffa-Pakhal tehsils and even from neighbouring Battagram district rushed to the scene and took part in the fire extinguishing operation,” said Khadam.

He said that shops of various commodities, groceries, general stores and a house owned by two brothers, Waris Khan and Nawaz Khan were completely burnt down, inflicting huge financial losses on the businesses community.

The Battal police started investigation after lodging a first information report.

PTI Hazara division reorganisation completed

The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Hazara chapter has completed the reorganisation of the party in seven districts after notifying the office-bearers for Upper Kohistan, Lower Kohistan and Kolai-Palas (erstwhile Kohistan). “We have completed the reorganisation of the party at the district level and notified names of the office-bearers for three Kohistan districts,” Ajmal Khan Swati, the PTI divisional information secretary, told reporters here on Friday.

He said that district bodies of Lower Kohistan, Upper Kohistan and Kolai-Palas were notified the other day and after which they also took the oath of offices from divisional president Ali Asghar Khan Jadoon. Swati said that Rasool Khan, Gulzada Khan, Malik Abdul Hakeem and Ziaur Rehman had taken the oath for the offices of president, senior vice-president, vice- president and general secretary for Lower Kohistan, respectively.

Mohammad Iqbal, Amirzada Khan, Jehangir Khan and Sarnzeb Khan took the oath for the offices of president, the senior vice-president, vice-president and general secretary for Kolai-Palas.

He said Malik Fareen, Ghulam Said Khan, Doraj Khan and Malik Ghulab Khan also took the oath of president, senior vice-president, vice-president and general secretary for Upper Kohistan.