Sir: Once again, the local administration under the Sindh government has miserably failed to save hundreds of shops and the adjacent residential area in the Timber Market by not responding promptly to the fire. The delayed response of the fire department reduced all valuables of the helpless people to ashes. The most sinister episode of the tragedy is that most of the fire engines were not in working condition, without fuel and water. Worse still, people collected money on their own to buy fuel for these vehicles.Will someone guide people where they can lodge their protest? What are people paying taxes for, to finance the corruption of our politicians? Who will compensate these poor souls? Muhammad Rafique Khattak Nowshera