The Chief Minister Punjab Mian Shahbaz Sharif has announced Rs two million each for the heirs of martyred rescue workers, who martyred during rescue operation in the fire, which gutted Ghakhar Plaza.
He also announced Rs 0.5 million for the heirs of civilian people who lost their precious lives while Rs 50,000 will be provided to the wounded people. This was stated by provincial Minister for Excise & Taxation Mujtaba Shujah-ur-Rehman while talking to media men during his visit to the fire gutted Ghakhar Plaza building here on Sunday.
Besides other, MNA Haji Pervez Khan, MPAs Ch. Sarfraz Afzal, Mailk Iftikhar, Relief Commissioner Punjab Ikhlaq Ahmed Tarar, Commissioner Rawalpindi Division Hasib Athar, DCO Imdadullah Bosal, AIG Rawalpindi range Nasir Khan Durrani and Chief Traffic Officer Raja Asif were also present on the occasion. The minister said that Chief Minister Mian Shahbaz Sharif has expressed his deep grief and sorrow over this tragic incident and sympathies with the victim's families.
He said that a special investigating committee led by him, has been constituted to assess the volume of losses, determine the actual cause of fire outbreak and matters relating to compensation to the heirs of the victims of this Ghakhar Plaza tragedy.
He said MNA Haji Pervez Khan, MPA Shahryar Riaz, representatives of traders in the cantonment are the members of the committee which will submit its report to the chief minister within seven days. The minister said initial report has been submitted to the chief minister while the final report in this regard will be submitted by next Monday. The minister said some eleven dead bodies have been retrieved so far from the rubble of the fire gutted collapsed portion of Ghakhar Plaza building, saying seven persons were still missing while 63 sustained injuries in this catastrophe.
The minister for excise & taxation said rescue operation in the fire gutted plaza would continue to search and rescue the missing and trapped people in the rubble as number of rescuers were believed to be trapped in the wreckage.