Opposition demands probe into Murree tragedy

The opposition on Monday demanded the formation of judicial commission to fix responsibility for the Murree snowfall tragedy that claimed 23 lives last week, and called for the resignation of Prime Minister Imran Khan and Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar.

Opposition Leader Shehbaz Sharif criticised the government and blamed inadequate measures to handle tourists on the Murree hill station who had gone there to see the winter snowfall. Pakistan Peoples Party Parliamentarian leader Bilawal Bhutto Zardari also supported the demand for judicial inquiry.

The issue of Murree tragedy was taken up in the house after both the treasury and the opposition benches agreed to suspend the scheduled agenda. During the debate, major opposition parties – PML-N, PPP and the JUI-F – demanded judicial inquiry but other parties like the ANP and the Jamaat-e-Islami demanded inquiry by a parliamentary panel.

From the treasury side, Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry and Energy Minister Hammad Azhar addressed the house. They criticised the opposition and stressed the need for working together to prevent such incidents from occurring in the futures. At the outset of the session, chaired by Speaker Asad Qaiser, the house offered Fateha for the victims of Murree tragedy. Later, the speaker announced discussion on the Murree tragedy and gave the floor to Opposition Leader Shahbaz Sharif.

Speaking on the occasion, Shehbaz said that the government was responsible for the deaths of 23 people. He said there were inadequate measures to handle the tourist rush on the Murree Hill station, who had gone there to see the winter snowfall. Shehbaz suggested that the house passed a resolution at the conclusion of the debate for the formation of a judicial commission to investigate the incident, fix responsibility and award exemplary punishment to all those found negligent.

Also read: Calamity in Murree as at least 20 tourists freeze to death in car

He viewed that since the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) had issued a weather warning, the local administration should have taken all precautionary measures to deal with any emergency. “Why the government did not make arrangements,” he asked. Taking part in the debate, Fawad Chaudhry regretted that the leader of the opposition should have avoided doing politics on tragedies. He added that no other political party, except the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) participated in the rescue and relief operation carried out by different departments.

He added that the opposition leader had nothing to offer except jugglery of words on the Murree tragedy. Shehbaz, he added, remained in power for almost 30 years but could not become a leader. “Today’s a Pablo Escobar [drug lord] is reminding us that Nero [Roman emperor] was sleeping.”
Fawad said that everyone was saddened over the Murree tragedy. The PTI’s leadership and local workers remained actively engaged with the rescue and relief teams for safe and timely evacuation of the snow-trapped people.

In contrast, he added, former prime minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi and PML-N workers were not seen in Murree as they did not bother to go there. “We are proud that our workers, including the Punjab chief minister, federal ministers, MNAs and MPAs who stood with the people in Murree,” he added.
 He said around 164,000 vehicles had entered Murree in five days. “The rescue operation was carried out within 24 hours and all the roads were cleared,” he said, acknowledging the services of civil administration, Army and others institutions for a swift rescue operation and evacuating people.

Read more: Govt under fire for Murree tragedy`

Chaudhry said that the PTI government had promoted tourism in the country and built 13 new tourism resorts in three years. “Today a revolution has taken place in the field of tourism in Pakistan, but the opposition is trying to teach the government what to do for the promotion of tourism,” he added.
Federal Minister Hamad Azhar said that such incidents also took place in the past during the tenure of these two parties. “Let's not do politics, let's work together to develop a strategy to prevent such incidents in the future,” he added.

PPP chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari alleged that there was delay in provision of assistance to the stranded tourists and demanded strict action against those involved in negligence. He supported the demand of opposition leader Shehbaz Sharif for conducting a judicial inquiry into the incident. Muttahida Qaumi Movement’s Salahuddin blamed the Murree administration for the incident and urged strict action against negligent officials. Asad Mehmood of the Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal Pakistan said that the JUI-F workers and its volunteer organisation participated in the relief activities.

Syed Khurshid Shah of the PPP said that Punjab chief minister was still in the learning process. Independent member Aslam Bhootani said that the people of Balochistan expressed their condolences over the Murree tragedy. He added that Gwadar was no less devastated in recent rains.
Ameer Haider Khan Hoti of the ANP and Abdul Akbar Chitrali of the Jamaat-e-Islami and others also expressed their views on the tragedy. The debate over Murree tragedy was concluded on Monday, now the house will not take up the mini budget in its sitting on Tuesday (today).

(WITH INPUT FROM APP)