TezTar5 programme questions OGRA, ministry over Ahmadpur East tragedy
On June 25, over 150 lives were lost after an oil tanker met an accident in Bahawalpur
LAHORE (Dunya News) – TezTar5 programme of Dunya News conducted a discussion on Ahmadpur East tragedy on Friday upon further developments surfacing lately, during which analyst Habib Akram and Barrister Saad Rasool lambasted the authorities concerned over alleged negligence.
Reportedly, petroleum minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi had reduced the deadly tragedy which has claimed over 200 lives so far, to ‘a mere accident that is usual’.
A teary Habib Akram lambasted the regulators and the ministry for a statement the analysts have dubbed as irresponsible and insensitive.
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Through the course of the programme, the experts conversed with a high-rank official of Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA) over a telephone call who maintained that the regulatory body could impose a fine of Rs 10 million at maximum in such a case which it has done.
On June 25 (Sunday) morning, an oil tanker had met an accident in Ahmadpur East area of Bahawalpur and claimed lives of over 150 locals owing to a blast.
The locals had gathered at the site to fill tanks of their vehicles and stash spilling petrol.
On June 28, a preliminary report forwarded to Chief Minister (CM) Shehbaz Sharif that the Punjab Police arrived on the scene with delay and did not check locals’ movement with flammable oil all around them.
CM Shehbaz had visited Bahawalpur and Multan hospitals following the tragedy on Saturday and inquired on health of the wounded. He had announced Rs 1 million ex gratia amount for the wounded and Rs 2 million for family of each killed.
The report alleged both Punjab Police and the highway police of arriving on the scene with delay. It also stated that fire fighters did arrive on the scene but they carried insufficient amount of extinguisher with them.
