LHC bench says won’t let officials sleep over Murree tragedy
Says will conclude case within a week
The Lahore High Court (LHC), Rawalpindi bench, Monday ordered to produce the record of Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry’s tweets, logbook of government vehicles and snow blowers, and also the record of officers’ WhatsApp conversation during the Murree tragedy, reported 24NewsHD TV channel.
Advocate Shah Muhammad, legal adviser for the district administration, and Sardar Shabbir Hussain, lawyer for the complainants, appeared before the court.
Irked by non-production of a detailed report on Murree tragedy, the LHC Rawalpindi bench expressed its annoyance over indifference of the authorities concerned and vowed to bring the case to its logical conclusion within the current week.
“Twenty-two people lost their lives. But nobody cares. We will not let the Murree tragedy to be forgotten,” the bench said.
While hearing the pleas against the Murree tragedy, Justice Chaudhry Abdul Aziz lamented that 22 tourists were perished, but no one was still taking it seriously.
He asked why the Rawalpindi city police officer (CPO) had been removed. “Who changed the CPO and under which law?” he questioned and added that the chief secretary would be summoned if a report on transfer of officers was not produced within two days.
Justice Aziz remarked where on earth the Punjab Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) had vanished when the Murree tragedy occurred.
“Where does the PDMA get its funds from? Is the province of 120 million people being managed through WhatsApp?” he asked adding that why the people were constantly being hoodwinked.
Lawyer for complainant Hussain apprised the judge of Federal Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry’s tweets about the arrival of 100,000 vehicles in Murree at which Justice Aziz ordered to produce the record of his tweets.
The lawyer also apprised the judge of the conflicting statements about the availability of snow blowers during the Murree tragedy at which the judge ordered to produce in the court the logbook of snow blowers and government vehicles amid the tragedy.
He also sought the record of WhatsApp messages between the provincial and district officers during the Murree incident.
The court then adjourned hearing of the pleas till March 1 (tomorrow).
Reporter Usman Javed Malik