The tragic incident of Gakhar plaza should suffice for the concerned authorities to seriously think of measures to prevent a recurrence and to make up for the deficiencies in fire and rescue services for high-rise buildings. I appeal to the CM Punjab to kindly constitute a high-powered committee to examine the standard of safety precautions in shopping plazas in both Rawalpindi city and cantonment. A high percentage of shoppers here come from outside the city and cantonment areas. The throngs of people here are not just an added security risk but also create a traffic mess. If better shopping centers are created outside the city and cantonment limits, even the proposed elevated expressway, that would spoil the environmental beauty of Rawalpindi, may not even be required. In that eventuality, the proposed Leh Expressway should suffice. In my opinion, there should be no more plazas in Rawalpindi city and cantonment. Instead, open spaces on either side of the G.T. Road may be utilized for having big combo stores with massive parking facilities on the pattern of Metro in Islamabad. Foreign investors would be interested in establishing such stores which provide under one roof a wide range of quality products through outlets managed by leading manufacturers, importers and retailers. - ENGR. M. AKRAM NIAZI, Rawalpindi Cantt, December 29.