Rescue operations at a collapsed pharmaceutical company concluded during wee hours on Friday after death toll reached 24 and 15 were injured, Pakistan Today learnt. Police officials have failed to get annulled the bails of factory owners, accused of case registered with Sabzazar Police Station under section 322 of Pakistan Penal Code (PPC). A rescuer namely Akhtar said that they had searched every inch of the debris and not even a single piece of body was found, suggesting that all those trapped inside were pulled out by the rescuers. Responding to a query about missing people, he said that the incident was not a result of any suicide blast which could have blown up a body into small parts; hence reassuring completion of rescue work.
KHARAK OPERATION CULMINATES AFTER FIVE DAYS: The Kharak building collapse operation finally culminated on Friday with the death toll reaching 24 while 16 survivors have been rescued. The three-storey building which manufactured medicines located near Multan Road fell down on Monday morning owing to a boiler explosion. Many workers had been trapped under the rubble after which Rescue 1122 initiated their operation which went on for five days. The factory was located in a residential area which added to the death toll as three houses located adjacent to the factory had collapsed as a result. The building which had been declared weak after the blast had been razed down by authorities for safety purposes.
POLICE INVESTIGATIONS: Police continued investigating the matter on Friday. DIG Maj Mubasharullah, in charge of inquiry committee established with the orders of Chief Minister (CM) Punjab included three brothers, owners of collapsed pharmaceutical factory in its investigations. Investigators recorded the statements of the owners and said that they would request the court to cancel their bails so that they could be arrested and jailed.
