Daily Times

KARACHI: An administrative committee, a technical committee and a committee comprising of private consultants have been formed by the commissioner of Karachi Muhammad Sualeh Faruqui. to inquire into Sunday’s swing ride incident at the newly opened Askari Amusement Park, officials of Commissioner Office revealed.

On Sunday evening, a swing ride fell apart in the newly launched Askari Amusement Park. In the incident, a 14 year old girl Kashaf Samad lost her life while 15 others sustained multiple injuries. Three of the injured are being treated at Liaquat National Hospital currently while others have been discharged after preliminary medical treatment.

Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) Chief Engineer Anis Khaimkhani, with the assistance of three other technical members would investigate into the matter and would report to Commissioner on the technical aspects of the matter whereas another committee headed by East Deputy Commissioner Muhammad Ali Siddiqui would look into administrative aspects of the matter. A third committee comprising of private consultants has also been set up to investigate why the swing fell.

All committees have been asked to submit their respective inquiry reports to Commissioner Office within two days.

Karachi Commissioner Muhammad Sualeh Faruqui has also asked technical committee members to visit Aladin Park, Sindhbad and other amusement parks in city in order to check the condition of swings installed there.

Karachi Commissioner told Daily Times that a First Investigation Report (FIR) on the incident would be lodged in the relevant police station by Monday night. He added that another FIR would be lodged in light of investigating committees’ findings.

According to Muhammad Sualeh Faruqui, Sindh Building Control Authority (SBCA) would also be asked whether it had issued a No Objection Certificate (NOC) for erection of steel towers and allied machinery in the park.

Initial report of the incident revealed that bolts and other allied parts installed in the swing were neither in accordance to the load bearing capacity of the swing ride nor in order.

According to the initial report, the swing crashed four to five seconds after the ride started. The report states that had the swing fallen in the middle of the ride, the damage would have been a lot more.

The city administration has also asked park administration and the contractor to submit their relevant documents. These documents include NOC and other related papers to ascertain legality and workability of the amusement site.

Karachi Mayor, Waseem Akhtar said that the site where the incident took place came under Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) and he was unaware about commercial activity of the area.

KMC Land Director Sheikh Kamal, KMC Estate Additional Director Akmal Dar and KMC land director said that members of civil society had showed dismay over the setting up of this park in past. In 2005, City Government and Corps 5 Headquarters, after an agreement, gave the responsibility of developing and maintaining Askari Park to Pakistan Army for a period of 99 years under City Government’s adopt-a-park scheme under section-5 of Land Acquisition Act-1894.

Askari Park, build on two adjacent sites spanning over 17 acres and 21 acres of land respectively, had been inaugurated by Former President General Pervez Musharraf.

Published in Daily Times, July 17^th 2018.