ISLAMABAD: The TV channels are abuzz with statements of government ministers ordering measures from announcing emergency to providing relief to the tourists stuck in Murree since Saturday morning.
The serious incident involving loss of at least 19 precious innocent lives had already happened because of the criminal negligence on the part of the government. Now, the government has sprung into action. But, its too late now. The lives of tourists could have been saved had the government took these measures prior to the tragedy.
CM Buzdar imposes emergency in Murree, directs to provide relief to stranded tourists https://t.co/oo4EEKfNxU pic.twitter.com/ucHxoXghX3
— Dunya News (@DunyaNews) January 8, 2022
At least couple of days before the incident, the government and its key ministers were completely aware of the changing situation at the country’s prime hill station. But, at that time, the ministers were mentioning the rising number of tourists and their vehicles in Murree as success of their economic policies in the country.
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Taking to Twitter, Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry had proudly claimed that 100,000 vehicles had entered Murree and the charges of hotels and guests houses had gone high.
مری میں ایک لاکھ کے قریب گاڑیاں داخل ہو چکی ہیں ہوٹلوں اور اقامت گاہوں کے کرائے کئ گنا اوپر چلے گئے ہیں سیاحت میں یہ اضافہ عام آدمی کی خوشحالی اور آمدنی میں اضافے کو ظاہر کرتا ہے اس سال سو بڑی کمپنیوں نے 929 ارب روپے منافع کمایا تمام بڑے میڈیا گروپس 33سے چالیس فیصد منافع میں ہیں
— Ch Fawad Hussain (@fawadchaudhry) January 5, 2022
The federal minister had compared the large number of tourists in Murree with financial prosperity of people. However, he failed to take special measures to handle situation in the overcrowded hill station before the disaster.
مری جانے والوں کی تعداد میں اضافے کو عام آدمی کی خوشحالی اور آمدنی میں اضافے کی وجہ قرار دینے سے پہلے یہ سوچنا ضروری تھا کہ کیا مقامی انتظامیہ کسی آفت کی صورت میں سیاحوں کی مدد کرنے کے قابل ہے یا نہیں ؟#Murree
— Arif Hameed Bhatti (@arifhameed15) January 8, 2022
This is not the first time that any government in the country is taking measures after a serious mishap.
Unfortunately, Pakistan has a long history of taking action after avoidable serious disasters. We as a nation need to learn now from the Murree tragedy to stop recurrence of such incidents in future.
