In a tragic incident, at least four children lost their lives, and a woman sustained critical burn injuries when a fire broke out in a makeshift hut in the Qasim Wala area of the Cholistan Desert.
According to a police spokesman, the victims were a family of labourers from Rajanpur district, brought to the area to work at a sugarcane field owned by a local grower, identified as Chaudhary Bilal. The family had set up a temporary hut at the field for shelter.
The incident occurred at night when the elderly woman of the family, identified as 50-year-old Naziran Bibi, was burning dried sugarcane remnants to prepare tea. Unfortunately, the fire quickly spread, engulfing the hut and resulting in the deaths of four children: one-year-old Muqaddas Bibi, two-year-old Bilal, three-year-old Shabana, and four-year-old Aliza Bibi.
The children died on the spot, while Naziran Bibi sustained severe burn injuries and was rushed to Tehsil Headquarters Hospital Liaquatpur. Her condition is reported to be critical, with most parts of her body severely burned.
The incident was reported to the authorities through a call to the Police Helpline Pukar-15. Acting swiftly, Station House Officer (SHO) Naveed Abid of Derawar Police Station, along with his team, reached the scene. The bodies of the deceased children have been sent to Rajanpur district for burial.
Derawar Police have registered a preliminary report and launched an investigation into the incident. Further inquiries are underway to determine the cause and circumstances of the fire.
