Parliament committee probes fire at 3 ministries

Security services committee of the parliament is set to summon officials from the defence ministry and police regarding the fires that erupted on December 12 at the housing ministry, construction ministry, and environment ministry.

The meeting, scheduled for 10 am on Thursday, follows a request made by the committee's chairman, Eydhafushi MP Ahmed Saleem.

The devastating fires, which caused significant damage to the buildings housing the three ministries, have raised concerns across the country. Opposition members have questioned the cause of the incident and its implications for national security.

The Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP), the main opposition, has called for an extraordinary sitting of parliament to address the incident. The party has also requested a criminal investigation into the matter and plans to file a separate complaint with the National Integrity Commission (NIC).

Police Commissioner Ali Shujau announced that a foreign forensic team is being prepared to investigate the incident. This move comes amid mounting public and political pressure for transparency and accountability in handling the case.