Murree tragedy: Punjab to pay Rs800,000 compensation for each death

LAHORE – The Punjab government has approved funds to compensate the families who lost their love ones in Murree due to heavy snowstorms on Saturday.

The approval was granted in a meeting chaired by Chief Minister Usman Buzdar. The government has decided to pay Rs800,000 for every death in the incident.

A committee has also been formed to find officials who showed negligence that led to the heart-wrenching incident. The government also decided to appoint an additional deputy commissioner and superintendent of police in Murree, around 64 kilometers away from the capital Islamabad.

Federal Interior Minister Sheikh Rashid on Saturday confirmed that 22 people froze to death in Punjab’s hill station after their vehicles stuck on roads due to unusual snowfall.

Interior Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed, in a video message, said tourists moved to Murree in such large numbers “for the first time in 15 to 20 years which led to the crisis”.

The Punjab government has declared Murree a calamity hit after the tourists’ death.

Pakistan Army troops are assisting civil administration in rescue efforts as 90 percent of roads to Murree have been cleared.

In a statement, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Saturday said army engineers also reached the area to help open up the main highways.

The military’s media wing later said that its engineers troops cleared Islamabad-Murree Expressway.

“Heavy machinery from Murree, army engineers Division and FWO are working without any pause to assist people who are struck,” the ISPT said, adding: “Where machinery can’t reach, troops have been moved and they are clearing traffic and opening roads.”