Daily Times

LAHORE: The first inquiry report on the Murree disaster has appeared, revealing administrative faults amid the flood of tourists to the attractive hill resort during winter, Daily Times reported.

According to the initial investigative report, the main roadways of Murree hill station and its surrounding areas had been neglected for the previous two years, causing traffic flow disturbance owing to snow-filled pits.

However, the lack of government gear to remove the slick roads on Murree’s principal escape routes proved fatal. In addition, due to the hotels’ lack of electricity, tourists preferred to stay in their vehicles.

According to the report, a tourist restriction was established in Murree late Friday night after the deputy commissioner and a city police officer intervened (CPO). Due to a massive traffic bottleneck, the machinery drivers were unable to reach the precise locations to clear the frozen roadways.

The assistant commissioner and deputy inspector general (DIG) were also present in the area to preserve traffic flow, according to the report. The local administration had acted after the snowstorm stopped at 8:00 a.m. on Saturday morning, according to the report.

According to the report, there was no visitor parking plaza in Murree. Murree, according to the source, experienced four feet of snow on January 7 and highways were closed.

Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar, earlier in the day, constituted an inquiry committee to determine causes and lapses that led to the deaths of stranded tourists in Murree.

The high-level inquiry committee will be headed by Additional Chief Secretary to Punjab Government Zafar Nasarullah while Ali Sarfraz, Asad Gillani and Farooq Mazhar will be members of the probe body.

According to a notification issued by the Punjab govt, the committee has been directed to submit its report within seven days and identify the elements involved in negligence.

Murree roads cleared

All main roads of calamity-hit Murree hill station have been cleared for all types of traffic including Kuldana-Barian Road, whereas, efforts for evacuating stranded tourists are also underway, the military’s media wing said Sunday.

The Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said in a statement that all main communication arteries of Murree have been cleared for all types of the move including Kuldana-Barian Road.

“After clearance of main roads, army engineers are now focusing road links.” Relief camps and medical facilitates are fully operating and army transport is plying for moving of stranded tourists to Rawalpindi and Islamabad, ISPR added.

Furthermore, soldiers from the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) are actively participating in ongoing rescue and relief operations in Murree.

More than 100 stranded visitors, including women and children, have been relocated to the PAF Bases Kalabagh and Lower Topa.