22 tourists freeze to death in Pak holiday spot

KARACHI: Pakistan’s popular hill station Murree was declared a calamity-hit area on Saturday after at least 22 people, including 10 children, froze to death in their stranded vehicles due to unprecedented snowfall and rush of tourists to the picturesque town in Punjab province.

All the routes in Murree in Rawalpindi district were blocked after thousands of vehicles entered the city, leaving the tourists helpless on the roads.

Around 1,000 cars were stuck on the hill station while the Pundawn jab chief minister Usman Buzdar issued instructions for expediting rescue work and providing aid to the stranded tourists, the

newspaper reported.

The government has imposed a state of emergency in hospitals, police stations and administration offices.

Prime Minister Imran Khan expressed shock over the “tragic deaths” of the tourists. “Have ordered inquiry and putting in place strong regulations to ensure prevention of such tragedies,” Khan said in a tweet.

The military has been mobilised to clear roads and rescue people still trapped, interior minister Sheikh Rashid said in a video message. He said Murree had “seen a huge number of tourists after 15-20 years”.

Information minister Fawad Chaudhry appealed to people to not visit the hill station.

Snowfall, which began on Tuesday night, continued at regular intervals, attracting thousands of tourists. Local media reported that over 100,000 vehicles entered the hill station.

The Pakistan Meteorological Department had predicted heavy snowfall in Murree and Galiyat from January 6 to 9.

THE PAKISTAN GOVERNMENT HAS IMPOSED A STATE OF EMERGENCY IN THE CALAMITY-HIT REGION WHERE NEARLY 1,000 CARS ARE STILL STUCK