Federal govt ‘blamed’ for fire in Islamabad’s shopping mall

ISLAMABAD: The spokesperson for Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) Prime Minister has blamed the federal government for fire in Islamabad’s shopping mall, which is owned by AJK PM Sardar Tanveer Ilyas, ARY News reported on Monday.

Talking to journalists, AJK PM’s spokesperson, Raja Usman, claimed that the fire in Centaurus Mall was set deliberately as the federal government was doing political victimisation in light of the political situation.

He claimed that the federal government wants to make it a bigger incident than Model Town fire, accusing Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah of involvement in Islamabad’s shopping mall fire.

The spokesperson further said that the Islamabad administration was responsible for the inferno and the Inspector-General, Commissioner and Deputy Commissioner were directly involved in the incident.

Meanwhile, AJK Food Minister Ali Shan announced that the territory’s President and premier along with thousands of Kashmiris will stage a sit-in on Tuesday if the mall is not reopened.

“We don’t want to politicise the matter nor are we doing that,” the minister said that they have come to express solidarity with the AJK premier.

A day earlier, a fire broke out in the food court of a popular shopping mall in Islamabad Sunday, but was quickly brought “under control”. The building, under the orders of the deputy commissioner, was sealed after the completion of rescue operation.

Islamabad police said that the mall’s building would remain sealed until a probe into the matter has been carried out. Until then, entry into the building would remain prohibited to the public.

A case over the fire incident was registered at Margalla Police Station on behalf of SHO Mateen Chaudhry under the Section 436. The FIR stated that the unidentified men set the shopping mall ablaze under unknown motives.