BAHAWALPUR: Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has decided to return to the country today (Monday) after cutting short his engagements in London.

Some TV channels quoting official sources said the prime minister had appealed to the nation to pray for the departed souls and early recovery of the injured. He was expected to land at Multan and visit Nishtar Hospital and then Bahawal Victoria Hospital (BVH) here.

Meanwhile, the chief minister, instead of returning to Lahore after inquiring health of the injured in Multan, went to Bahawalpur.

The chief minister personally monitored the transportation of the injured to Lahore by a C-130 aircraft and praised the efforts of Pakistan Army and Rescue 1122 staff and appreciated their arrangements for transportation of the injured.

IMRAN KHAN: Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan is due here today to express sympathy over the loss of life and solidarity with the victim families.

A PTI source told Dawn that Imran may also visit the site of the blast near Ahmedpur East and meet the victim families.

Meanwhile, PTI Vice President Shah Mahmood Qureshi on Sunday visited the BVH to inquire after the injured.

Talking to media, Qureshi criticised the government for what he called neglecting south Punjab, as a health facility like BVH lacked a burns unit. He said that the administration should have cordoned off the area of the blast, which took place about one and a half hour after the tanker overturned.

During this period, people were collecting petrol from the road and nearby fields. He demanded the government pay special attention to provision of health facilities in south Punjab.

EID: On the directions of the chief minister, the Punjab government has decided to celebrate Eidul Fitr today with simplicity keeping in view the Ahmedpur East tragedy.

Published in Dawn, June 26th, 2017