Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Monday said that the Bahawalpur oil tanker incident will be investigated thoroughly and those found guilty of negligence will be punished.
The prime minister, who cut short his UK visit, came here to meet the victims of oil tanker fire and the heirs of the deceased.
An oil tanker carrying 25,000 of fuel crashed and exploded on national highway early Sunday in Ahmedpur Sharqia near Bahawalpur, killing over 150 people, many of whom were collecting leaking fuel before it ignited.
While briefing the media, Chief Minister Punjab Shehbaz Sharif said due to extreme poverty and illiteracy innocent people lost their lives. ‘They didn’t know that the fuel can catch fire.’
PM handed over the cheques to the injured during his visit to Victoria Hospital where many of the affected were being treated. The government has announced compensation of Rs2 million for the families of the deceased and Rs1 million for the injured.
Nawaz commended CM Punjab for the efforts provincial government made after the incident.
I feel sympathy for the victims, the compensation is not the substitute of a life but with this we want to alleviate their sufferings, the PM said.
He added that it is our duty to be with the people and work hard to address their miseries.
He added that it is our duty to be with the people and work hard to address their miseries.
PM Nawaz seemed unhappy with some politicians criticizing the government after the tragedy. This is very unfortunate that some people attempted to do politics on this issue rather than uniting the nation in this hour of grief, he said.
Families express gratitude to PM
The families affected by the tragic incident expressed gratitude to PM Nawaz for being with them in their hour of grief.
They said they were consoled to find the prime minister amongst them and it has given them the courage to overcome their pain and sorrow.
Briefing:
Commissioner Bahawalpur Saqib Zafar gave briefing to the prime minister here at the Circuit House.
It was informed that the rescue operation was completed in five hours. Four army helicopters, 34 ambulances of Rescue 1122 and 25 ambulances of Edhi, participated in the rescue operation.
It was told during the briefing that the explosion affected 265 people, with over 150 people losing their lives and injuring 125 others.
