DUSHANBE, November 5, 2010, Asia-Plus  -- The fire that occurred at the Islamic Revival Party (IRP)’s headquarters in Dushanbe on October 23 was caused by an electrical malfunction, Tolib Hayotov, a spokesman for the Main Firefighting Service of the Ministry of Interior (MoI), told Asia-Plus today.

“The cause of the fire was established as a result of examination conducted at the Main Firefighting Service’s laboratory,” said the spokesman, “The IRP leadership has been acquainted with the examination findings and they say they have no reason for complaint.”

We will recall that the part of the building, adjacent to the IRP headquarters in Dushanbe and its main prayer hall, was destroyed by fire on October 23.  This part of the building was widely known as the “women’s mosque.”  The IRP representatives suggested that time the fire was not an accident and the building was set ablaze deliberately.  According to them, the incident took place a day after officials from the Committee on Religious Affairs (CRA) visited the center to tell the party to stop using the building for prayers.