Timeline: Key events related to Ahmadpur Sharqia tragedy
The oil tanker inferno near Bahawalpur has claimed at the lives of over 200 innocent people
(Web Desk) – Ahead of Eid-ul-Fitr, also called the ‘sweet Eid’, Ahmadpur Sharqia accident took the whole country by a shock as grief over the victims largely undermined the celebrations. It all happened when an oil tanker went ablaze while carrying about 40,000 litres of petrol from Karachi to Lahore via National Highway, 40 kilometers from Bahawalpur in Ahmadpur Sharqia area.
One of the reasons for the increased death toll was that as soon as the oil tanker turned turtle, local residents gathered around it in huge numbers to collect the spilled petrol in the fields. A huge explosion was heard and fire erupted that destroyed numerous vehicles after the spillage ignited somehow.
June 25: 140 killed and over 140 injured in Ahmadpur Sharqia oil tanker inferno while a great number of vehicles destroyed.
Rescue operations sought transference of victims in Multan and Lahore due to unavailability of burn units in the local area.
Punjab CM Shehbaz Sharif announces compensation package for injured apart from medical treatment, and money for the relatives of those who died. He visits the victims in burn units of Multan CMH and sought accident report.
PTI Chairman Imran Khan, COAS General Qamar Javed Bajwa, President and Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif express condolences for the victims.
Rescue operation took five hours in which four army helicopters, 34 ambulances of Rescue 1122 and 25 ambulances of Edhi participated.
June 26: PM Nawaz ended his London visit and returns to Pakistan in order to take necessary steps. He was originally scheduled to reach his country on June 30, after Eid-ul-Fitr. Nawaz Sharif arrived in Bahawalpur where he received briefing from Commissioner Bahawalpur Saqib Zafar.
June 27: PM Nawaz visited Bahawalpur Victoria Hospital and handed over cheques worth Rs 1 million each for the injured and Rs 2 million for heirs of those who lost their lives. He also announced jobs for the injured after their full recovery.
June 28: Preliminary investigation report of Ahmadpur East incident came to light in which it was revealed that Punjab Police officials arrived on the scene with delay and did not check locals’ movement with flammable oil all around them. The report accused both policemen and highway police officials of reaching the scene with prolonged delay. A local alleged that the explosion and fire occurred only after someone lit his cigarette.
June 29: Several individuals succumbed to their injuries making the death toll 190, which initially was 140. Injured people lost their lives while undergoing treatment in burn units of hospitals in Multan, Bahawalpur and Lahore. A collective funeral prayer of 153 deceased was offered in Ahmadpur Sharqia. It was told 80% of the injured under treatment had severe burn injuries.
Seven officials of the motorway police were reportedly suspended, including the Police DSP Rizwan Shah and Inspector Abdul Samd for alleged negligence in the inquiry. It was claimed that the officials tried to hide facts. The institution was expected to take action against them, according to a recommendation.
July 2: Jamaat-e-Islami Chief Siraj-ul-Haq visited Ahmedpur Sharqia accident site and meets the families of victims. He requests Supreme Court Chief Justice to take suo moto action against the oil tanker inferno in order to conduct transparent inquiry.
Death toll reached 200 as several injured lost their lives during medical treatment.
Motorway police spokesman Imran Shah said the government inquiry accused at least five police officials of hiding information.
June 3: Lahore High Court Chief Justice Mansoor Ali Shah declared Ahmedpur Sharqia oil tanker blaze incident deplorable while hearing the plea of Mahmood Akhtar Naqvi.
Death toll reached 206 as another six succumbed to injuries.
July 7: Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA) declared that the oil tanker in Ahmedpur Sharqia inferno lacked safety standards and had inappropriate design.
Their report declared 50 percent oil tankers dangerous due to the lack of safety standards directed by OGRA. National Highways Authority, Road Transport Authority and Bomb Disposal Squad were held responsible for the accident.
OGRA report ordered Shell Pakistan, a subsidiary of Royal Dutch Shell, to pay a penalty of 10 million rupees. It was also ordered to pay one million rupees in compensation to the families of each deceased and half a million for every injured person.
Supreme Court (SC) Karachi registry heard a case regarding the transfer of oil in tankers outside Karachi. The court gave a one-week deadline to resolve the matter or else warned to take action against the violators itself.
During a case hearing in LHC, it was told that the permit of oil tanker had expired while Shell failed to fulfill its responsibility only to avoid expenditures. LHC CJ Mansoor Ali Shah snubbed motorway police officials and warned that all departments concerned would bear the consequences of Ahmadpur East oil tanker explosion.
Death toll reached 209 people.
Dunya News programme TezTar5 poured scorn on the statement of Petroleum Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi who called Bahawalpur oil tanker ablaze ‘a mere accident that are usual’. Habib Akram shed tears at the miserable condition of victims and their families. He criticised the regulators and the ministry while calling them insensitive and irresponsible. Experts talked with OGRA official who told the regulatory body could only impose a fine of Rs 10 million at maximum in such cases. He said the step was already taken and there was nothing that could be done.
VIDEO: Habib Akram sheds tears at the insensitivity of authorities on Ahmadpur East tragedy
