QUETTA(National Times)- Transporters and business leaders on Thursday demanded a high-level probe into a massive fire at the Lakpass Customs post warehouse, alleging the blaze was deliberately set to cover up theft.

Speaking at a joint press conference, leaders from transport and trade associations said an FIR should be registered against those responsible for the destruction. They estimated the business community suffered at least 9 billion rupees in losses.

“The fire could not be accidental and under a conspiracy it was staged to hide the theft of seized goods,” Central Anjuman-i-Tajran President Abdul Rahim Kakar said.

He demanded that the government immediately provide compensation to the affected people.

The leaders, including Mir Nawab Mengal, chairman of the All Pakistan Mazda Truck Goods Transport Association, and Haji Malik Shah Jamaldini, president of the All Quetta-Taftan-Rakhshan Division Bus Union, alleged that valuable goods may have been siphoned off before the fire. They claimed the incident was “staged” to conceal the alleged theft.