Prime Minister Imran Khan has expressed grief over the Murree tragedy, which has claimed at least 16 lives until now, and said unprecedented snowfall and rush of people caught the administration ‘unprepared’.
The premier took to his Twitter account on Saturday and wrote, “Shocked and upset at tragic deaths of tourists on road to Murree. Unprecedented snowfall and rush of people proceeding without checking weather conditions caught district admin unprepared.” He also announced that a probe into the mishap has been ordered.
Shocked & upset at tragic deaths of tourists on road to Murree. Unprecedented snowfall & rush of ppl proceeding without checking weather conditions caught district admin unprepared. Have ordered inquiry & putting in place strong regulation to ensure prevention of such tragedies.
— Imran Khan (@ImranKhanPTI) January 8, 2022
“Have ordered inquiry & putting in place strong regulation to ensure prevention of such tragedies,” Prime Minister Imran Khan wrote.
Read more: Murree received 17 inches of snow in last 24 hours: Met office
Earlier in the morning, Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry had said on his official Twitter handle that hundreds of vehicles and a huge influx of people were headed towards Murree and other high-altitude areas.
He added that it was impossible for the administration to provide facilities to people in such huge numbers.
مری اور دیگر بالائ مقامات کیلئے ایک جم غفیر رواں دواں ہے لاکھوں گاڑیاں ان علاقوں کی طرف جارہی ہیں مقامی انتظامیہ کیلئے اتنی بڑی تعداد میں لوگوں کو سہولیات پہنچانا ناممکن بن گیا ہے، جو لوگ ابھی گھروں میں ہیں ان سے درخواست ہے بالائ علاقوں کی سیر کا پلان کچھ دنوں کیلئے موخٓر کر دیں
— Ch Fawad Hussain (@fawadchaudhry) January 8, 2022
The information minister had also extended an appeal to the people to postpone their planned trips to high-altitude areas for a few days.
The disaster-hit Murree has received 17 inches of snow during the past 24 hours, the Met Office said. At least 16 people have reportedly died after heavy snow trapped them in their vehicles as tens of thousands of visitors thronged the hill town of Murree.
