Ban on entry to Murree extended for another 24 hours

ISLAMABAD: The federal government on Monday further extended the temporary travel ban to Murree and Galiyat following the tragic incident at the hill station, ARY News reported.

In a statement, Interior Minister Sheikh Rasheed announced that the routes leading from Islamabad to Murree and Galiyat will remain closed for the next 24 hours.

He said that any decision to allow tourists to Murree and Galiyat would be made while considering the latest situation.

Meanwhile, a notification regarding extension on the travel ban was also issued by  Deputy Commissioner Islamabad.

According to a notification, the ban on using roads for Murree and Galiyat would continue till Tuesday evening.

The notification stated that the citizens of Murree and adjacent areas would only be allowed to travel on these roads while showing their National Identity Cards (NIC).

Read More: Murree declared calamity hit following death of 19 tourists

Murree tragedy

It is pertinent to mention here that at least 22 tourists who were stranded in their vehicles due to heavy snowfall died of the extreme weather in Murree on last Friday night.

An initial investigation report of the Murree tragedy exposed the administrative flaws during the influx of tourists to the scenic hill station during snowfall.

The initial investigation report stated that the main roads of Murree hill station and its adjoining areas were not maintained for the last two years that had caused disruption in traffic flow due to snow-filled pits.

On the other hand, the absence of government machinery for clearing the slippery roads on the main exit routes of Murree became disastrous. Moreover, the tourists had preferred to stay in their vehicles due to the suspension of electricity to the hotels.