The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Thursday disposed of a petition for action against Lahore Development Authority (LDA) officials on the loss of lives in an LDA plaza fire incident.
The petition was filed by Noshab Ali Khan and disposed by Justice Syed Mansoor Ali Shah. The court did adjourn, however, a different plea against the lack of facilities to handle fire incidents.
As the proceedings began, the Rescue 1122 Director General Dr Rizwan Naseer was summoned to the court. He submitted recommendations passed in an Fire Safety Commission (FSC) meeting to reduce casualties during fire incidents. He said that external steel structures, fire doors, hydrant systems, fire extinguishers, fire alarm systems and emergency lighting systems could be helpful in that goal.
A provincial law officer also told the court that a committee had been constituted to investigate the incident. He said the committee would soon complete its work and action would be taken against those found responsible.
The court, after hearing arguments, disposed the petition for action against LDA officers.
Khan, through his petition, pleaded the court to issue directions for the initiation of criminal proceedings against the present and former LDA DGs due to the loss of precious lives and billions of rupees in the incident. He also prayed the court would order the Rescue 1122 DG to equip Rescue 1122 with all the required equipment and remove antennas and towers from high rise buildings.
Advocate Shoaib Saleem, through his petition, had argued that in the light of the recent fire incidents in the city and the glaring shortfalls in the fire safety management, a commission needed to be formed. It is pertinent to note that the court had constituted a 20-member FSC to address and identify fire safety issues in the city.