Recalling Murree tragedy

LHC ruled that the PDMA was responsible for the devastating Murree tragedy that took 22 lives

After almost ten months, the Rawalpindi bench of the Lahore High Court (LHC) has ruled that the Punjab Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) was responsible for the devastating Murree tragedy took the lives of 22 innocent people on the snowy hills. The court decision also maintains that all illegal buildings be demolished, commercial construction banned, rates of hotels and guest houses be fixed, and each of the bereaved families be paid Rs800,000 as compensation. While PDMA has been made a sacrificial lamb, whose negligence led to the happening of this specific event, it cannot be ignored that civic bodies along with government institutions failed to fulfil their respective responsibilities. If these institutions were working effectively and efficiently then indeed such an event could have been prevented and precious lives saved.

Such disasters need to be analysed on three fronts: are institutions well-quipped to handle disaster situations? Are relevant systems in place to identify disasters and initiate pre-emptive measures? What reactionary response was taken during and after the disaster occurred. With regard to the Murree tragedy, institutions were seen to be ill-prepared. While warnings had been issued by the Met office well in advance, it was not taken seriously. To the relevant authorities, it was business as usual; and there was a clear failure on their part to propagate the information forward and initiate a due course of action. During the incident, there was a lack of response that resulted in travelers being stranded for hours. In the aftermath, the response from the local community — in providing shelter and food at exorbitant prices — was reprehensible, to say the least. In order to cater to such disasters, officials at the helm need to be professional and sincere while institutions should work together like a well-oiled machine. This is the benchmark the government must maintain especially in view of the climate change phenomenon, as natural disasters are intensifying with each passing year. The recent monsoon season showed just how vulnerable our local systems really are.

An unprecedented situation also calls for unprecedented action as Pakistan desperately needs to seek help from international experts to fortify its defences. PDMAs must be strengthened and modern technology procured to enhance monitoring of climatic changes. The country needs to be well-prepared before climate change hits us head-on. By rule of thumb, it is always better to be safe than sorry.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 5^th, 2022.

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