Motorway police blamed for Bahawalpur oil tanker tragedy

Investigation report says the deadly incident wouldn’t have taken place if the police cordoned off the site


News Desk June 28, 2017
PHOTO: EXPRESS

The investigation report of the Bahawalpur oil tanker inferno blamed motorway police, saying the deadly incident, which claimed over 160 lives, took place due to the negligence of the police personnel.

According to the report, at time of the tragedy the police were changing their shift. The officials of the first shift left their positions well before the second shift could take over their duties.

Catastrophic inferno: Horror before Eid

It further said the incident would not have taken place if the motorway police could cordon off the incident site.

The probe report of the Ahmedpur Sharqia incident has been sent to Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif.

The local SHO and assistant commissioner Ahmedpur Sharqia also reached the scene late, the report added.

On Sunday, the speeding tanker carrying 40,000 litres of fuel overturned on a main highway while travelling from Karachi to Lahore. The driver lost control when the vehicle blew a tyre. A large crowd of people gathered, many to collect fuel in containers.

COMMENTS (6)

W Sultan | 6 years ago | Reply Blame NDMA, the national Nisaster management "authority", drawing fat salaries for what?
Ali S | 6 years ago | Reply According to eyewitnesses the police tried their best to disperse the crowd but were overpowered. The blame rests with the unfortunate people desperately trying to steal some free petrol, and the leaders who have disastrously failed in educating them about basic civic sense and personal safety.
VIEW MORE COMMENTS
Replying to X

Comments are moderated and generally will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive.

For more information, please see our Comments FAQ