Murree tragedy: Probe committee recommends sealing of illegal hotels

• Committee investigating Murree tragedy recommends sealing of all hotels, shopping malls, and apartments where parking space has not been provided.
• Suggests sealing all illegal hotels, plazas, and construction sites at hill station.
• The committee visited different areas of Murree and sent its recommendations to the Punjab government, say sources. 

ISLAMABAD: The five-member committee formed by the Punjab government to investigate the causes and lapses that led to the death of 23 tourists during the snowstorm in Murree has recommended sealing all illegal hotels, plazas, and construction sites at the hill station, according to well-placed sources.

Sources privacy to the matter said that the committee has also recommended sealing of all those hotels, shopping malls, and apartments where parking spaces have not been provided, Daily Jang reported. 

Declaring illegal constructions and encroachments on the Murree Expressway and adjourning highways a “major obstacle” to the flow of traffic, the committee has suggested a “grand operation” be conducted in Murree.

The probe committee visited different areas of Murree and sent its recommendations to the Punjab government, the sources added.

The investigation team will record statements of the victims today as well, said the sources.

Probe reveals 20 of 29 snowploughing vehicles were all parked in one spot

On January 14, an ongoing probe by an investigation committee into the tragic deaths on January 7 of more than 20 people in Murree amid unprecedented snowfall had revealed that of 29 snowploughing vehicles, 20 were all parked in one location.

The probe committee had recorded the statements of the operational staff to determine what transpired that fateful day.

Sources had told Geo News that not only were the 20 vehicles all in one spot, there were no drivers or workers available to get them up and running.

The sources had said that employees of the Forest and Wildlife Department failed to provide satisfactory responses to the committee's questions.

The probe had further revealed that the district administration sent back around 50,000 vehicles from Murree's entry points that day.