Daily Times

The people of Murree have been unable to return to their routine, normal lives as the mountain resort town struggles to get back on its feet three days after a deadly snowstorm wreaked havoc and killed at least 22 people, a private TV channel reported.

Water supply and power are still suspended at the Malka-e-Kohsar, while mobile services are still affected, the TV channel reported Monday, as several people remain stranded. Relief work is still underway, however, a majority of the tourists have been evacuated from the calamity-hit hill station.

A team of the Pakistan Water and Power Development Authority (WAPDA) worked to restore electricity in Murree, but they could not complete the job due to extreme weather conditions, sources said. Deputy Commissioner Muhammad Ali on Monday said that snow had been removed from major highways of Murree, but due to heavy snowfall, the roads were slippery, and there was ice on both sides of the roads.

According to the DC office spokesman, the District administration and related departments were working hard to remove snow from Murree’s internal city link roads and to fully restore the hill station’s traffic. He asked the tourists to refrain from visiting the Murree and its surrounding areas until the entire rescue operation was completed and urged the residents to cooperate with the district administration.

Meanwhile, Chief Minister Punjab Sardar Usman Buzdar had asked Commissioner Rawalpindi to take strict action against those involved in profiteering and overcharging. In a tweet, expressing displeasure over overcharging by the Murree hotel owners, the CM directed the Rawalpindi administration officials to take non-discriminatory action against the shopkeepers and hotel owners for violating prescribed rent and official rates.

A committee to probe the tragedy was finalised on Sunday, with Chief Minister Punjab Usman Buzdar vowing “impartial action” against all those found negligent in their duties. The committee has been tasked to ascertain which government departments were responsible for the crisis situation that unfolded in Murree. It will also assess what measures were taken to control the influx of visitors and vehicles.

Furthermore, the committee will look into what precautionary measures were taken by institutions in light of the weather advisory issued by the Met Office. It will determine whether a warning was run on media to dissuade people from travelling to the tourist destination. The committee will probe what traffic control measures were taken amid the snowstorm and after reports of the adverse weather conditions were received, what safety measures were implemented. The report as a result of the findings obtained will be submitted to the provincial government in seven days.