Opposition demands judicial probe into Murree tragedy

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) President and Leader of Opposition in the National Assembly, Shehbaz Sharif, on Monday slammed lashed out at PTI government over Murree tragedy, ARY News reported.

While speaking during the National Assembly session, the PML-N president slammed ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) for its handling of the influx of tourists and “inadequate preparations” at the hill station Murree.

The opposition leader also demanded the formation of a judicial commission to investigate the Murree incident in which 23 tourists died after being trapped in their cars on roads due to heavy snowfall.

“The Murree tragedy occurred due to an administrative failure and it demonstrates the incompetency and criminal negligence of the incumbent government,” he said.

“It was not the first time that Murree received snowfall,” he said and held the government responsible for the death of 23 tourists at the hill station.

Also Read: Govt notifies body to probe Murree incident

He further said that no traffic management and sufficient measures had been put in place by the Punjab government to handle the influx of tourists.

“People were left alone to die in Murree and rulers were sleeping in Islamabad. When this incident occurred, one Nero was asleep in Islamabad and the other was busy rigging [the polls].”

Shehbaz also questioned whether the incident was a “natural” occurrence or “manslaughter”.

Addressing the session, Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari also criticised Punjab and the federal government over the Murree tragedy and demanded the formation of a judicial commission.

Also Read: Initial probe report of Murree tragedy surfaces

A judicial inquiry must be held to probe the death of 23 people and those responsible for the Murree tragedy should be held accountable, he added.

Taking aim at Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry, Bilawal said that a minister was celebrating the influx of tourists in Murree and hailed it as proof of the country’s economic progress.

It is pertinent to mention here that the NA session was originally slated to discuss the controversial Finance (Supplementary) Bill known as the mini-budget. However, the discussion was deferred for tomorrow.

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 on the Murree tragedy exposed the administrative flaws during the influx of tourists to the scenic hill station during snowfall.