Punjab Chief Minister Sardar Usman Bazdar on Wednesday sacked 15 officials, including Commissioner Rawalpindi and CPO, after “gross negligence, lack of coordination and teamwork as well as risk assessment” was identified as the reasons that led to the deaths of stranded tourists in Murree on Jan. 8.
A five-member committee headed by the additional chief secretary (home) was formed to determine the causes and those responsible for the Murree tragedy that led to the death of at least 23 tourists stranded on the roads of Murree in a snowfall storm. The committee submitted its report to the Punjab Chief Minister Sardar Usman Bazdar pointing out the negligence and mistakes made by the concerned officers that resulted in the tragedy.
Officials suspended
In the light of recommendations of the inquiry committee, the entire chain of command of the Rawalpindi division was suspended for failing to prevent the Murree Tragedy. CM Buzdar, addressing a press conference told that the Rawalpindi commissioner, deputy commissioner, and assistant superintendent of police (ASP) Murree had been removed from their posts and sent to the federal government.
Other officials include the Rawalpindi chief traffic officer, Rawalpindi city police officer, Murree assistant commissioner, SP Highway Circle, DSP Traffic Murree, In-charge Rescue 1122 Murree, Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) Punjab director, divisional forest officer, district emergency officer 1122 Rawalpindi, SE Highway Rawalpindi, SDO Highway Mechanical Murree, and Rawalpindi Highway XEN.
“It has also been recommended to suspend them and disciplinary action be taken against them,” said Buzdar.
The Punjab chief minister said that the Murree tragedy was extremely painful in all respects, adding that he personally visited the site to review the situation.
“I had promised a transparent inquiry into the tragedy along with action against those responsible. This has been fulfilled.”
Provincial Law Minister Raja Muhammad Basharat and Chief Minister’s spokesperson Hasaan Khawar were also present at the news conference.
The Report
The 27-page report, which recorded statements from officials, residents, and tourists, read that the tragedy happened due to the negligence of the officers, adding that it seems as if all the departments were asleep at the time of the tragedy.
The officers of the concerned departments kept communicating with each other about the situation through WhatsApp but none of them took an action, the report revealed. The required machinery was available but half the staff was absent, it further disclosed.
Inquiry committee’s recommendations
The inquiry committee has recommended setting up a regular office of the meteorological department in Murree and widening the roads by demolishing illegal structures to avoid such untoward incidents in the future.
Encroachments have turned Murree into lanes, causing regular traffic jams in the hill station, according to the report.