MANSEHRA: A huge fire gutted offices and residences of administration officials, judges and police officers in Pattan, the district headquarters of the newly-created Lower Kohistan district on Monday.

The fire was stated to be caused by an electricity short-circuit.

“The huge flames destroyed the government buildings, reducing all the official record to ashes,” DSP Pattan Abdul Rehman told reporters. The fire, which broke out late in the evening, engulfed offices and residences of deputy commissioner, assistant commissioner, judges and police.

Mr Rehman said that policemen, locals and fire tenders were struggling to bring down the fire.

He said though there was no loss of life reported the police would search for the bodies after the blaze was completely put out. The DSP said apparently the fire was erupted because of an electric short-circuit, but the police would further investigate the matter.

Abdul Hakeem, a local who was present on the scene, told reporters that the flames could be seen from far off areas.

Published in Dawn, May 2nd, 2017

Editorial

Shocking ambush
13 Mar, 2025

Shocking ambush

THE chilling ambush of the Jaffar Express on Tuesday by terrorists is a rude wake-up call, reminding us of the...
Suffocating crisis
13 Mar, 2025

Suffocating crisis

THREE of the five countries with the most polluted air on Earth are in South Asia. They include Pakistan, which has...
Captive grid
13 Mar, 2025

Captive grid

IT is a common practice: the government makes commitments with global lenders for their money and then tries to...
State Bank’s caution
Updated 12 Mar, 2025

State Bank’s caution

Easing monetary policy will be difficult for SBP without large, sustainable foreign capital inflows and structural tax reforms.
Syria massacre
12 Mar, 2025

Syria massacre

THERE were valid fears of sectarian and religious bloodshed when anti-Assad militants triumphantly marched into...
Too little, too late
12 Mar, 2025

Too little, too late

WHEN desperation reaches a point that a father has to end his life to save his daughter’s, the state has failed ...