Federal Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry has claimed that hundreds of people thronged Murree in a short span owing to which it was humanely impossible to manage such huge influx.

Addressing a press conference in Lahore alongside Federal Education Minister Shafqat Mahmood on Saturday, the information minister restated that all high-altitude areas, not just Murree, are experiencing a great rush.

He also expressed condolences with the bereaved families and emphasised that things are required to be managed in a better way.

He said that Murree experienced record snowfall. “For a week, the administration was preventing entry of vehicles however the people thronged high-altitude areas within 48 hours hours, not weeks or months,” he claimed.

Fawad Chaudhry said that problems will arise whenever many people visit an area in a short span, claiming it would make any system collapse irrespective of how sophisticated it is.

“It is impossible to say that administration can handle so many people,” he asserted.

Read more: PM Imran Khan ‘shocked and upset’ over Murree tragedy

Fawad Chaudhry informed that the local administration has cleared the Murree Expressway for traffic while Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) government has also opened roads from Nathia Gali side. He said the Punjab government has also opened its guest houses.

The minister said Pakistan Army personnel are also engaged in rescue and relief operations while Frontier Works Organisation (FWO) has moved heavy machinery to the affected areas.

Read more: Those responsible for Murree tragedy should be punished: Hasaan Khawar

He added that Prime Minister Imran Khan instructed Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar to reach Murree who would reach there shortly.

Slamming Pakistan Muslim League- Nawaz (PML-N) leader Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, the information minister said that instead of helping people of his constituency, Shahid Khaqan was holding a press conference in Rawalpindi against the government.

Answering a question, the minister said the government would learn from the tragic incident to prevent such mishaps in the future.