LAHORE, May 9: The ravaging flames that engulfed the Lahore Development Authority plaza on Egerton Road on Thursday have left many questions unanswered.

Questions like what measures the officials had taken to protect the human resource, building and important documents are being asked.

An official said since the offices/directorates of Additional DG (HQ), Director (Law), Director (Monitoring and Inquiries) and Director (Admin) were established at the plaza’s seventh, eighth and ninth floors, important record, both computerised and soft copies, had been destroyed.

Sources told Dawn that the fire burnt important data and files related to various land-grab cases involving forgery in plot transfers in some residential and commercial areas of the LDA. Officials, especially of the directorate of land record and management, and some private land mafia might be able to prove themselves innocent now, they suspected.

“Besides land record, evidence of the recent recruitments made in back dates after imposition of ban on any sort of appointments by the election commission was also burnt. The additional DG (headquarters) and director (administration) and other senior officials were already being criticised for ‘protecting’ the officials facing land-grab inquiries.

DCO: The district coordination officer claimed that the entire record relating to construction of Metro Bus System and housing schemes was safe at the offices of the LDA.

“The MBS record is safe at the office of Tepa (Traffic Engineering and Transport Planning Agency) and housing schemes’ files/record etc., is also at the LDA’s office at Johar Town,” DCO Rizwan Mahboob, who also holds the LDA chairman slot, said in a statement.

He said an independent inquiry had been ordered. He said the fire erupted at the plaza’s seventh floor due to a short-circuit. He said the DG (rescue) and others also rushed to the spot soon after receiving information at 12 noon.

He said the deceased included three people who jumped from the building in a bid to save them.

Opinion

Editorial

Military option
Updated 21 Nov, 2024

Military option

While restoring peace is essential, addressing Balochistan’s socioeconomic deprivation is equally important.
HIV/AIDS disaster
21 Nov, 2024

HIV/AIDS disaster

A TORTUROUS sense of déjà vu is attached to the latest health fiasco at Multan’s Nishtar Hospital. The largest...
Dubious pardon
21 Nov, 2024

Dubious pardon

IT is disturbing how a crime as grave as custodial death has culminated in an out-of-court ‘settlement’. The...
Islamabad protest
Updated 20 Nov, 2024

Islamabad protest

As Nov 24 draws nearer, both the PTI and the Islamabad administration must remain wary and keep within the limits of reason and the law.
PIA uncertainty
20 Nov, 2024

PIA uncertainty

THE failed attempt to privatise the national flag carrier late last month has led to a fierce debate around the...
T20 disappointment
20 Nov, 2024

T20 disappointment

AFTER experiencing the historic high of the One-day International series triumph against Australia, Pakistan came...