Prime minister assures in-depth probe into oil tanker fire tragedy

AHMADPUR EAST — Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Monday said it has been decided to hold an in-depth inquiry into the oil-tanker fire tragedy, which caused loss of precious human lives.

“We have to look into what was the condition of that truck (tanker)? We will not let this incident go ignored [without reaching any conclusion],” he said while speaking to the people hit by the tragic incident here.

The prime minister, while expressing his deep grief over the incident, however, regretted the “inappropriate” attitude of some politicians on television. “Yesterday, some people did politics on television. It is inappropriate. There should be no politics on such tragic occasions, when we should console the injured and affected,” he remarked.

The premier agreed with the view of Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif that illiteracy and poverty lead to such accidents.

He said the government was doing all to improve economy, realise development, boost agriculture, check energy shortages and move the wheels of industry, so as to curb unemployment.

Sharif said the moment he heard about the tragic tanker-fire incident, he directed the Punjab chief minister to immediately reach Bahawalpur and supervise the rescue and relief efforts.

Sharif, who cut-short his visit to London and reached Bahawalpur on Monday, said he visited the Victoria Hospital and enquired after the health of those injured in the incident. The prime minister said he gave away the cheques of Rs1 million each to the injured, adding, Rs2 million each were being given as compensation to the families of those who lost their lives. —