As the aftershocks of factory collapse incident continue to be felt, the Lahore Development Authority in suspending two deputy directors and ordering an enquiry against them under the PEDA Act, has made its junior officers the scapegoats to save the big wigs.
LDA DG Abdul Jabbar Shaheen summoned the officers of Town Planning Branch, Metropolitan Planning Wing and Commercial Branch in PHA head office on Saturday.
He suspended Deputy Director Tariq Mehmood and Dawood Anjum Khan with immediate effect and ordered departmental probe against them.
Meanwhile, the Punjab government has constituted a committee that would present a report after which strict action would be taken against those responsible.
Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif also presided over a high level meeting regarding Kharak factory incident on Saturday.
Addressing the meeting, Sharif expressed his sadness over the loss of lives in the tragedy.
“We will pay Rs 5 lac and Rs 75,000 to the families of the dead and the injured,” he said, adding that the compensations would be given out in a day or two. He said the government would also provide jobs to one person of each affected family and a committee had been constituted in this regard also. He directed that complete survey be carried out regarding the existing industrial units in the residential areas throughout the province and the process of this survey be completed at the earliest, adding that a ‘comprehensive’ strategy would be evolved in light of the committee’s recommendations.
He said those responsible for the incident would be awarded a deterrent punishment and if the officers of police, LDA or any other department were found involved, strict action would also be taken against them.
The victims of the incident also met the CM on Saturday. Member Provincial Assembly Zaib Jaffer, home secretary, RPO and Bahawalpur Commissioner, Rahim Yar Khan DPO and DCO and concerned officers were present on this occasion.
“We are grateful to the government for providing timely assistance to us,” the victims said, adding that the children of those who had died should also be admitted to Daanish Schools.
Sharif also condoled with the families of the victims of the Khanpur incident and assured them of their full support, adding that the government would provide full support to the victims.
‘You go, we stay’
