400 huts burnt in Shanti Nagar fire

KARACHI: At least 400 huts were reduced to ashes in a fire that erupted in Shanti Nagar in Gulshan-e-Iqbal on Wednesday within the limits of Aziz Bhatti police station, sources said.

SHO Aziz Bhatti police Imtiaz Ahmad said that the fire erupted in slum area situated in Shanti Nagar.

However, no loss of life was reported.

He said the fire fighters rushed to the scene and extinguished the fire.

It is mentioned here that almost every year the fire incident occur in Shanti Nagar slum area and this was the second incident of fire in this area in current year. The first incident occurred in March 2010 in which a minor was burnt to death and several others were injured while 500 huts were reduced to ashes.

The plot where the fire incidents occur is a disputed place and the case of this plot was under trial in the court. Sources said the residents of these slums are mostly Saraiki speaking and are home labors. At the time of fire the women and the men were not present in huts while their children were present on the occasion.