There were no doubt serious administrative lapses that led to 23 tourists, including children, dying in cars stranded in snow January 9 in Murree. Those who returned home alive had gone through a harrowing experience. The tragedy could have been avoided if the authorities had promptly taken note of the bad weather conditions and issued timely warnings to tourists. They failed to take note of the Met Office’s heavy snowfall warning. For almost a week they ignored the unending flow of thousands of tourists’ cars converging on the hill resort till the situation got out of everybody’s control.
Initially the government tried to absolve itself of responsibility by putting all blame on the tourists. Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry maintained at a press conference that the record influx of tourists was next to impossible to handle for the local administration. With public pressure mounting, Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar set up a committee to find who was responsible for the tragedy. The committee’s report puts the entire blame on the bureaucracy. Mr Buzdar asserted at his press conference that the complete chain of command of Rawalpindi division failed to perform its duties and was unable to identify the looming risk. He ordered the suspension of the entire chain of command comprising 15 officials. The chief minister claimed that he had promised holding a fair and transparent inquiry into the Murree tragedy and taking action against all those whose negligence led to the death of 23 people, and that he had fulfilled his promise.
There is no doubt about the gross negligence on the part of the government machinery in Murree. Those found napping have to be dealt with according to government rules. The buck however doesn’t stop there. Mr Buzdar cannot exonerate himself of the tragic happenings. The Punjab Chief Minister is in the habit of transferring the blame to government officials for problems created by his own incompetence. Top bureaucrats have therefore been frequently transferred. This is precisely what he has done in this case also.
During the last more than three years Mr Buzdar transferred seven Assistant Commissioners from Murree, leaving no official with local experience in place to deal with the situation. This also explains the failure to stop illegal constructions and encroachments that have turned the hill station into a virtual Raja Bazar.
