Motorway police blamed for Bahawalpur oil tanker tragedy

BAHAWALPUR - The Motorway police known for its professional competence has been blamed for the deadly blaze near Bahawalpur as the police personnel's negligence led to mass casualties.

According to an investigative report, the police personnel were changing their shifts and the officials of the first shift left their positions well before the second shift could take over their duties.

The report that has been forwarded to Chief Minister Punjab SHehbaz Sharif revealed that the incident would not have taken place if the motorway police had cordoned off the incident site thwarting bid of locals to collect spilled fuel.

It further added that the local SHO and assistant commissioner Ahmedpur Sharqia also reached the scene late.

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On Wednesday, the driver of the oil tanker also succumbed to his burn wounds, along with another injured person, taking the death toll to 164. Earlier, on Tuesday the bodies of 125 victims of the oil tanker fire incident were laid to rest in Ramzan Joiya village, Ahmedpur East.

The tragic incident that eclipsed the Eidul Fitr celebrations in Pakistan happened on Sunday when a speedy oil tanker overturned on National Highway in Ahmedpur Sharqia near Bahawalpur.

After the accident, scores of villagers from basti Ramzan Joiya reached the site and started filling their containers with leaking fuel, however, the fuel soon burst into flames.

Eyewitnesses said some people in the vicinity were smoking cigarettes, which could have ignited the deadly fire.