PESHAWAR: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur on Monday ordered an inquiry to identify the causes of a blaze that gutted a tissue paper factory in Hayatabad Industrial Estate on Oct 26.

In a letter to the chief secretary, he said that the incident had raised significant concerns regarding adherence to safety protocols.

The letter directed that the inquiry should determine the root cause of the fire and factors leading to the disaster.

In addition, it said assessment and evaluation of the compliance by the unit’s management to the instructions issued by the relief, settlement and industries department as well as KP Economic Zones Development and Management Company (EZDMC) should be carried out, according to a statement issued from the chief minister’s secretariat.

SCCI, IAP call for govt help to rebuild industrial unit

Besides, the letter said the inquiry should also identify the individuals or institutions involved in any lapses regarding compliance of safety protocols, fix responsibility and provide recommendations in order to avoid such incidents in future and to ensure strict adherence to safety protocols.

The chief minister also directed to conduct general assessment of all the industrial units in the province regarding their adherence of safety protocols.

The inquiry report should be submitted to the chief minister within 30 days, the letter said.

Also on Monday, the Industrialists Association Peshawar (IAP) and Sarhad Chamber of Commerce and Industry urged the government to assist in the rehabilitation of the gutted factory.

Addressing a joint press conference, IAP president Ayub Khan Zakori, SCCI president Fazal Muqeem, SCCI Group Leader Ghazanfar Bilour and others said Rescue 1122 responded 20 minutes after the alert, dispatching only two fire vehicles, one of which arrived without any water.

They said six fire brigade vehicles provided by the company were initially deployed to fight the blaze, but they encountered difficulties due to delayed external support, faulty equipment, and delays caused by Peshawar Development Authority (PDA).

They said the government was repeatedly contacted to request helicopter support from NDMA, and by the time it was approved, it was too dark for the helicopter to operate as it lacked night vision capabilities. Fortunately, they said the Pakistan Air Force’s fire brigade arrived to assist in controlling the blaze.

The IAP and SCCI leaders also noted a ‘blessing in disguise’ during the emergency as the access road, typically blocked by barriers set up by PDA, was accessible only because of an accident as a truck broke through the barrier shortly before the incident. “Despite repeated warnings from IAP about potential dangers of such barriers, the PDA director general dismissed these concerns, asserting it was not his responsibility,” they alleged.

They said even three days after the incident, flames continued to smolder as no government official visited the site. They said the chief minister’s absence during this critical time had deeply disappointed the industrialists.

“IAP and SCCI stand united in their call for accountability, urgent resource allocation, and meaningful government support to rebuild the factory,” they demanded.

Published in Dawn, October 29th, 2024