DADU: The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) on Sunday disbursed cheques among the affectees of a deadly fire in Faiz Muhammad Daryani Chandio village of Dadu’s Mehr Taluka on April 18 which left nine children dead and 20 others injured.

A spokesperson for the NDMA said that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif announced an immediate package of Rs10 million for the families of the deceased as well as the injured and those affected by the unfortunate incident. The cheques were distributed by NDMA officials with the help of the PDMA Sindh and Dadu district administration.

Earlier, Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah admitted that the provincial government’s response to the Mehar tragedy was slow. He also admitted that the fire tender deployed near Mehar village was out of order which caused loss of life and property.

He said the Sindh government had formed the JIT to investigate the Mehar fire incident which claimed the lives of nine children and one woman. CM Murad accompanied by Local Government Minister Syed Nasir Shah earlier this week visited the site of incident and announced relief package and investigation.