Court orders inquiry against Murree tragedy, regulating hotels

• LHC Rawalpindi bench announced the reserved verdict in the Murree tragedy
• The court imposed a ban on illegal constructions and ordered regulating hotels
• At least 23 people lost their lives in the snowstorm in January this year

RAWALPINDI: The Lahore High Court Rawalpindi Bench has ordered an inquiry against authorities responsible for the Murree tragedy in which tourists lost their lives after being stranded in snowfall.

At least 23 people, including women and children, were found dead in their vehicles trapped in heavy snowfall earlier this year in January in the hill town of Murree. This included eight people of the same family who froze to their death in their vehicles.

Justice Chaudhry Abdul Aziz of the LHC Rawalpindi bench announced the reserved verdict in the Murree tragedy. The court ordered to increase the Rs800,000 compensation given provided to those who lost their lives in the incident.

The court said an inquiry should be conducted against officials of the National Highway Authority, Punjab Disaster Management Authority, and Rescue 1122 Department against those responsible for the Murree tragedy.

The court said all illegal constructions should be demolished and the local infrastructure including water, sewerage and waste management system should be improved.

The court also banned the felling of trees in the hill town. It further said parking slots should be built outside the city so that there is no rush after an influx of visitors.

It also ordered the district administration to remove all illegal encroachments and regulate hotels and residential apartments. It furthered that a separate department responsible for the cleaning of sewage and drains be set up.

The verdict stated that strict legal action will be taken against officers who were aware of the meteorological department’s report about the unprecedented snowfall.

It added that some officers were unjustifiably suspended after the tragedy who are not connected to incident and should be heard again.

The court reserved its verdict on the Murree tragedy on May 7. The 80-page detailed verdict will be released on Monday, November 7.

Around 23 people lost their lives due to snow storm in Murree between 7th and 8th January this year. Former Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar had formed an inquiry committee on the Murree tragedy.

After the inquiry committee’s report, 15 officers including Commissioner Rawalpindi, Deputy Commissioner and CPO Rawalpindi were suspended.

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