IHC reprimands railways, interior ministries

Court laments that the FIR of the case had still not been registered

ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court has expressed displeasure at the railways and interior ministries for failing to submit the inquiry report on the Tezgam incident and summoned the secretaries of the concerned ministries and investigation officer of the case on February 24.

Last year in October, 73 people were burnt to death and dozens sustained injuries after the Karachi-bound Tezgam Express caught fire near Rahim Yar Khan.

Railways Minister Sheikh Rashid claimed that the fire was caused by a cylinder blast that occurred in the morning when some passengers were preparing their breakfast.

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As the proceedings of the case started, Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kayani, while referring to railways and interior ministries, remarked that several people had died but the two ministries were still “sleeping”.
“Should the court summon the prime minister and tell him that two ministries are not working,” Justice Kayani angrily asked the representatives of the concerned ministries.

“The accident occurred five months ago but still, no report has been prepared,” the court said, adding that the federal government does not even know if an FIR had been registered or not.

“If you don’t work, then we will pass orders to make sure that you do your work,” the judge said.

The court lamented that the ministries were still writing a letter seeking the inquiry report.

“Do you consider the Islamabad High Court “a sort of postal office”? […] after passage of five months, you are writing a letter seeking a report,” the court observed.

The IHC summoned the railways secretary, additional interior secretary and investigation officer of the case and adjourned the hearing until February 24.