SHANGLA: The management of Sweet Home here has expelled nine orphan children over their alleged involvement in setting its room on fire two weeks ago and also suspended their unit`s mother for not keeping proper check on them.

When contacted, Baitul Mal assistantdirector Aziz Gul confirmed the expulsion of children who were allegedly involved in setting a room on fire. He said the fire also gutted several nearby rooms.

`On October 2, furniture, clothes, books, blankets and other items were gutted when fire erupted in the Sweet Home,` he said and added that the department was busy in restoration of the damaged rooms.

He said the children had been shif ted to other rooms.

He said the room where mattresses and other items were stored was also gutted.

Mr Gul said that later a decision was made to expel the children who allegedly started the fire. He said he took the decision after taking his director and MNA from Shangla Dr Ibadullah on board, as such acdons could cause damage to the property and harm other orphans of the Sweet Home.

Answering a question, he said the fate of the expelled children, who belonged to Shangla, and the unit motherwould be decided on completion of the inquiry.

Meanwhile, social activists condemned the expulsion of orphans from the Sweet Home and demanded of the government and authorities concerned to probe and resolve the matter as soon as possible. Correspondent