Fuel tanker blast on highway

It is only fair to describe the oil tanker blast near Bahawalpur on Sunday morning as a tragedy of epic proportions. And like so many  tragedies in Pakistan and elsewhere in South Asia, it was avoidable – and should be blamed most of all on our cavalier attitude towards road and safety hazards. Our recklessness shows through in most aspects of our lives. One wonders also how desperate were the Ramzanpur Joya villagers who tried to siphon the oil that spilled out of the tanker after it overturned on the main highway. To them 40,000 litres of fuel was just too tempting and a windfall that had to be collected no matter how grave the risks were. The police version of events leading up to the tragedy that took away more than 130 lives and injured 70 others may not exactly ring true for several reasons. Police officials claimed that though law enforcers rushed to the site of the accident their efforts to cordon off the area proved unsuccessful because they were overwhelmed by the large number of villagers gathered there. Should they not have called for reinforcements and sent forceful messages to keep the crowds out? The truth may be a little uncomfortable for all: it is entirely plausible that the law enforcers were themselves willing partners in this mad scramble to gather as much of the leaked fuel as they could. Such dangerous treasure hunts are always short-lived because there is usually somebody out there in the crowd who -- unmindful of the risks that flammable materials pose – light  a cigarette or a match-stick. One mindless act like that was enough to trigger a mighty explosion and snuff out hundreds of lives.

No amount of judicial inquiry reports can bring us out of this crazed stupor. What we need is strict adherence to safety precautions. If lives are to be saved, then we have to invest more in awareness campaigns and make as many people as possible familiar with the precautions that need to be taken in the event of fuel leaks on roads and highways. Already the recent wave of terror attacks had soured the mood for Eidul Fitr. The oil tanker blaze will also rob the nation of joy.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 26^th, 2017.

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