PM Sharif reaches Bahawalpur to condole loss of lives in oil tanker blaze

Dawn.com Published June 26, 2017

Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif cut his trip to London short to condole the loss of more than 150 people in the Bahawalpur oil tanker blaze.

He reached Ahmad Pur Sharkiya by helicopter before noon Monday to join Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif and other provincial officials in condoling the horrific accident that had shocked the nation a day earlier.

The premier had flown in directly to Bahawalpur, where he visited the Victoria Hospital to spend time with those injured in the incident. He was accompanied by CM Shahbaz Sharif and Commissioner Bahawalpur Saqib Zafar.

He was later given a briefing on the deadly blaze at Ahmad Pur Sharkiya at the Circuit House. He was told that the accident occurred at 6:20am on Sunday morning, when a tanker carrying around 25,000 litres of fuel from Karachi to Lahore overturned on the highway.

The commissioner Bahawalpur told the prime minister that the victims of the incident had gathered around the tanker to collect the leaking fuel when, due to as yet unknown reasons, the tanker exploded, killing around 140 and injuring 125 instantly.

Expressing his grievance at the loss of lives, the premier said he empathised with the pain of those injured and those who had lost loved ones in the incident. He also led prayers for those suffering, wishing all the injured good health and a quick recovery.

Assuring that an inquiry has been ordered into the accident, the premier said there should be no politics on the loss of lives.

He also announced government jobs for the heirs of the deceased and the injured, along with Rs1 million in aid for each of those injured.

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Nomi Goraya

Jun 26, 2017 01:03pm

So Bhawalpur is in London? It is real food step by PM to spend Eid who perished in this unfortunate and avoidable incident I wish PM also spare some time to visit Quetta and Parachanar tragedies failed to get media attention due to Babar Awan joining PTI etc.

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Shahid Khan

Jun 26, 2017 01:04pm

What about Parachinar and Quetta? Is Punjab the only Province in his mind as he only is concerned about Bahawalpur?

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agnostic sajed

Jun 26, 2017 01:08pm

Nawaz Sharif is a genuinely moderate person.

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Ayub

Jun 26, 2017 01:11pm

We have no enforcement of law .Tragedies are going to happen like this.If Law is not applied, lawlessness lead to this.Very dreadful.No money to be paid to legal heirs of dead and those injured by the government but people to be fined and put in jail for looting private fuel,next time no one will come near overturned fuel truck.Sad to write this but this is the solution.Our leaders are for looting the country.

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Ayub

Jun 26, 2017 01:12pm

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Umair

Jun 26, 2017 01:15pm

when he was in exile, he used to say that Muasharraf didn't let him celebrate Eid with his own people in Pakistan. It's been years that he's in country and you can see the records that he didn't spent such single occasion in Pakistan. He should focus on visiting Quetta & Parachinar sufferers to condole them in solace.

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A. A.

Jun 26, 2017 01:17pm

Government jobs should be given on merit, and not to be distributed as a form of compensation!

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Skeptic

Jun 26, 2017 01:17pm

Did he bring them any gifts from Harrods? If these people were not so desperately poor or uneducated, they wouldn't have risked their lives for few liters of few Petrol. Perhaps if NS had spent money on eradicating poverty and building schools and hospitals, instead of more Metros and Motorways, this could have been avoided.

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Abrar

Jun 26, 2017 01:19pm

All of the three incidents were horrific and heart-breaking. Heart goes out to aggrieved families. At the same time , heart bleeds when pm becomes so selective in terms of condoling the aggrieved ones. Perhaps innocent bloodshed in other two parts of the country considered cheap in govt's/state's calculus. Such dufferential treatment sows the seeds of alienation in society. The abysmal affairs must be pondered seriouslly before it gets too late. The abyss lies not far ahead.

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Parvez

Jun 26, 2017 01:22pm

It is our tradition that on Eid we go to our home village .....and as per tradition Nawaz and family went to London.

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Abrar hakim

Jun 26, 2017 01:24pm

Dear PM! A very humble request- the victims of parachinar and quetta also needs your symbolic presence. Equally they are the sons of the soil.

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Sami ullah swati

Jun 26, 2017 01:32pm

I wished a visit for Parachinar and Quetta, though far away from Lahore, but still parts of Pakistan and the most neglected through decades anyway. Shame that even mainstream media was talking about JIT on the day Parachinar and Quetta lost souls!

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shahjee

Jun 26, 2017 01:34pm

can the CM panjab tell us, for how long the tanker was leaking? if hundereds of people could gather to collect leaking oil from the tanker then where were the enforcement agencies and other emergency services who could stop people playing with fire (when they really did) and who could have prevented such an incident?when did they arrive?if late why late?where were they? were they really guarding the PM,CM mansions or not fit for the job. .

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Mohammad Baig

Jun 26, 2017 01:35pm

@Nomi Goraya All district hospitals are orphan with no care and with no budget that is eaten up by the rulers and the poor is to wait just.

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Justice

Jun 26, 2017 01:35pm

@agnostic sajed ...don't be naive and get real. It's people like you who get fooled by this gesture that he cut his visit short. It's only because of IK criticism of PM for holidaying in Saudi & UK which forced the PM to cut the visit short. Even this forced gesture wouldn't save him Panama gate.

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ALI RAZA MEGHANI

Jun 26, 2017 01:35pm

Hope he go to para chinar and quetta today also because he is the prime minister of pakistan not punjab

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max

Jun 26, 2017 01:36pm

Must have cost the tax payers a pretty penny to have the PM cut his eid holiday abroad short, and go to Bhawalpur for a photo opportunity!

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JKhan

Jun 26, 2017 01:37pm

@agnostic sajed you can't be his friend!

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Hyder

Jun 26, 2017 01:42pm

Sir What the people of Parachinar and Quetta have done wrong that no one from the government or COAS have yet to go there to console them over loss of lives in recent act of terrorism??? Thanks

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Justice

Jun 26, 2017 01:42pm

As usual another useless enquiry summoned by the Sharif brothers just to keep public quite. Can they inform Pakistanis the OUTCOME of hundreds of previous enquiries especially MODEL TOWN killings?

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M Khan

Jun 26, 2017 01:46pm

So pathetic to have PM like this. Parachinar and Quetta is bleeding but our PM has got sight only for Punjab.

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Fazza

Jun 26, 2017 01:53pm

At last he is back for some lip service.

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saz

Jun 26, 2017 01:55pm

Did Mr. Nawaz Sharif and military chief bother to care about Parachinar where near 100 were burnt alive and more than hundred got severe injuries. Did they bother to care about loss of lives in Quetta.

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MSD

Jun 26, 2017 01:58pm

Good step by PM.

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haris

Jun 26, 2017 02:05pm

"...there should be no politics on the loss of lives." He himself is playing politics. Why no attention given to victims of Parachinar and Quetta. No offence to those who died in Oil-tanker incident but in Quetta and Parachinar the people were fall as victims of Terrorism whereas, in Bahawalpur the loss of lives was mainly due to negligence and carelessness.

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Nabeel

Jun 26, 2017 02:13pm

@Nomi Goraya Parachanar and Quetta are unfortunately not in Punjab.

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asif

Jun 26, 2017 02:13pm

This discrimination really increase hates someone tell that he is PM of Pakistan and not punjab this is very unfortunate incident where poor people trying to grab one or two bottles of oil and got this fate compare to that people in karachi quetta parachinar people lost lives due terrorism in parachinar alone 100 people martyred and 200 injured this is fourth attack on poor shia Muslims of parachinar a small city where almost every house is effected tthe irony is that there is no media coverage and no government help and when unarmed area people protest peacefully they were injured by law enforcement personnel also what a shame and pitty all this is

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Abdulla Hussain

Jun 26, 2017 02:16pm

Why these elite class prefers to celebrate festivals outside Pakistan. They claim to be elected and thankful to the peoples yet they prefer to celebrate happiness outside Pakistan. During election time no one gets ill no one goes for treatment outside Pakistan, once elected everything changes.

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Ali

Jun 26, 2017 02:17pm

And what about 140 parachinaris? Are they third class citizens of this country? They are being targetted every two months and no one cares, no media coverage nothing....very saddening to see .

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Yasir Rizwan Saqib

Jun 26, 2017 02:19pm

Thanks for condolence but a hospital with a burn unit wood have been a real help. Nearest burn unit is in Multan which is around 200 km and it is not functional. Was built by PMLQ. Then a very old unit in Mao hospital Lahore which is around 500 km away. But metro is functional in Multan to take the ride.

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Nomi Goraya

Jun 26, 2017 02:21pm

@Mohammad Baig About the hospitals you have very well pointed but I have some piece of information I would like to share. I would remain focused on this tragedy and health care needed for this particular incident. Whole incident took 10 minutes and during that NH&MP was right there managing the flow of traffic on that busy artery otherwise death toll could have been many folds, these people refused to listen to them. When the fire ball erupted rescue 1122 was right at the place within no time and tried to extinguish the fire but damage was done as fire ball incinerated people within fraction of seconds and those who were left were with 60% to 80% burns and just keep this fact in mind that only Almighty can save a person with 40% burns. Now coming to rescue there was quick and all prompt rescue operation you can not blame that now coming to health facilities in the vicinity as we are talking about burn injuries

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Avtar

Jun 26, 2017 02:22pm

I feel sorry for the PM who has to cut short his vacation and Eid celebration abroad.

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Rahul

Jun 26, 2017 02:23pm

Rs 10 million each to the Pakistani cricketers and only Rs 1 million each for the families of the victims???

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ali ahmed

Jun 26, 2017 02:25pm

will he visit Parachinar and Quetta

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Nomi Goraya

Jun 26, 2017 02:26pm

@Mohammad Baig BV hospital at Bhawalpur is one of the few hospitals with state of art health facilities but we are talking about burn injuries and burn center is one of the most expensive to have and manage but we have stare of the art burn centers one at Nishtar Hospital Multan and other at Jinnah Hospital Lahore with the facilities of Hally pad which are placed strategically to cover all province need. In this case people were evacuated to BV for initial treatment and then air lifted to Multan which has dedicated burn center. But damage was already done and nothing much was left to save. Now coming to last point to have state of art burn centers at district level at least with the lowest tax per capita in the region Pakistan can not afford it take it as you like but with huge population meager resources I think we have some amazing totally free health care system in the WORLD

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Nomi Goraya

Jun 26, 2017 02:27pm

@Rahul there is always a difference in REWARD and COMPENSATION.

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Mike

Jun 26, 2017 02:36pm

Prime minister is of everyone not of specific region Mr Nawaz Sharif shabah

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Nomi Goraya

Jun 26, 2017 02:40pm

@shahjee It all happened in 10 minutes tanker over turned announcement was made from a mosque and then people rushed to the place I think you need not CM version in this case it was an accident which turned to catastrophic as we think systems do not deliver so we never bother to obey. NH7MP even tanker driver begged to people to stay away but who cares

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ABE

Jun 26, 2017 02:41pm

I bet he's not too happy, having to cut short his stay in London soon after arrival. Instead of spending Eid in his Mansion and Penthouse on Park Lane, he is being forced to tour hospitals in Punjab! While you're there, oh exalted PM, ask yourself why there aren't enough beds, Burn Units, Doctors or Nurses at the facilities, or why so many died due to lack of adequate response or poor local medical centers? Hope your frequent trips to London have enlightened you what needs to be done for the poor of Pakistan?

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Amir

Jun 26, 2017 02:46pm

Sorry PM sb that u could not spend your eid in yoir home town of London, England....I am sure u will announce metro bus for bahawalpur instead of burn unit in the hospitals

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Muslim Medina

Jun 26, 2017 02:47pm

The Bhawalpur tragedy, as reported in Toronto, was the result of someone in the crowd, which had gathered there, was smoking and threw the cigarette in petrol or as they say here gas.This action caused loss of many lives.

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Imran Khan

Jun 26, 2017 02:52pm

When he will come to parachanar ?

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ZAIDI

Jun 26, 2017 03:00pm

uncle nawaz, those who lost their life in parachinar and quetta are also human beings.

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Ravi vancouver

Jun 26, 2017 03:07pm

@Ayub This tragedy is due to callousness and failure. Instead of penalizing the people for robbing petrol, instead it should emphasis on the educating people about danger to approach leaking petrol and ensure training of fuel trucks to avoid driving high speed and careful on the turns.

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Kumar

Jun 26, 2017 03:08pm

I didn't think visit a hospital is good thing in such tragedy. Provides each n every wounded person best treatment without beuracratic hurdel. N think about this kind of tragedy root cause n solution. Agar hard step bhi Lena pade then move ahead...

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NACParis

Jun 26, 2017 03:09pm

When would he stop blowing his own trumpet to gain political mileage. He is not paying out his funds but using Government and masses resources for political benefit.

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Dr. Salaria, Aamir Ahmad

Jun 26, 2017 03:10pm

Too little, too late.

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Shahid

Jun 26, 2017 03:16pm

Such avoidable and unfortunate tragedies particularly on or about our most sacred days of festivities highlight and magnify our national character and that of our rulers both on the spot and away from it as to how (irr)responsibly and (in)sensitively we react when it happens and after the fact. Will it change anything? Although many aspects must, but most probably nothing will.

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IMRAN

Jun 26, 2017 03:17pm

Nice gesture to be among the victims.

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Nomi Goraya

Jun 26, 2017 03:21pm

@Dr. Salaria, Aamir Ahmad Please enlighten us how it is late? and why it is too little? What is your concept of quick and proper action? Or it is just our national game criticism for sake of criticism? Please I need to know your views ?

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Khalid

Jun 26, 2017 03:24pm

It is good you came back PM, I am really touched but what other Prime Minister or President of any country in the world is away from their own country on the biggest festival for the nation?. By the way (and it has been mentioned by others as well), is your kingdom only limited to Punjab?. You have never treated other regions of the country like you are their PM too.

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Amir

Jun 26, 2017 03:28pm

Height of hypocrisy!!!

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Khalid

Jun 26, 2017 03:29pm

@Nomi Goraya I am sure they will respond as well but I thought I should try. It is too little because the Prime Minister is never seen in the parliament. He spends more time in Lahore than Islamabad (I hear). If British Prime Minister can attend the parliament every week, why can't ours do the same. The idea is that Prime Minister responds to the questions from opposition every week. Also, what other Prime Minister or President of any coutnry in the world is away form their own country on the biggest festival in the country?. Have you ever seen a Christian Prime Minister away on holidays during Christmas?.

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Eros

Jun 26, 2017 03:30pm

@Skeptic , you have correctly pointed out the root cause of this and many other incidents and accidents. This tragedy is a result of socio economic deprivation . The ruling elite has siphoned off billions of dollars abroad while the people are risking their lives to fulfill their basic daily needs.

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Sabraz Ali

Jun 26, 2017 03:58pm

Not here to condemn or favour any party, it was a clearly a said event that took place in Bhawalpur, that could have been avoided if the incident was managed correctly, the site should have been cornered off, not allowing public access until made safe. We should all learn from this unfortunate event.

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The end is near

Jun 26, 2017 04:03pm

Another political marketing tactic by Royal Shareef family.

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Ayub

Jun 26, 2017 04:07pm

@Ravi vancouver The best way in our circumstances is to penalised those who looted the private property to finally teach them that this is against the law as this simply looting of other assets.Once you put them in jail for their criminal activity,same to be applied to our rulers for looting national wealth.We have to take the bitter pill.

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Saqib

Jun 26, 2017 04:27pm

what about the recent bombings in Parachinar, Quetta and killings in Karachi?

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M. Siddique

Jun 26, 2017 04:43pm

What was he doing in London on Eid? He should spend Eid with people of Pakistan.

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ABRAR- KSA

Jun 26, 2017 04:49pm

Mr. Sharif is PM of Pakistan. By his prejudiced behavior, he is floating a wrong message outside the Punjab.

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Zaki khan

Jun 26, 2017 05:28pm

Start building hospitals equipped with burn units for starters.... Your government has been a great failure on all fronts.

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muhammad qasim

Jun 26, 2017 05:52pm

Many PTI commentators are such a negative lot, they don't read and understand the news and start commenting negatively and often make no sense. You don't increase the popularity of your party by being grumpy, do constructive criticism.

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Shan

Jun 26, 2017 06:22pm

Excellent gesture by the PM... good job.

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Sohaila

Jun 26, 2017 07:35pm

@agnostic sajed Really!!!!

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R Azhar

Jun 27, 2017 05:45am

Too little, too late! Why didn't the honourable PM announce the construction of a Burns unit at the main hospital in Bahawalpur??

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Khalid iqbal

Jun 27, 2017 07:31am

How good of Nawaz Sharif to get away from his Eid vacation in London , to visit Bahawalpur.

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Pakman

Jun 27, 2017 08:44am

Inshallah his days are numbered, him and his cronies have done enough harm. Watch PMLn defections in the coming weeks.

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Imran Aslam

Jun 27, 2017 09:29am

Too late too late. Pakistan burns while the PM spends eid holidays in London.

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sachal

Jun 27, 2017 09:31am

It is a really horrific accident. we all sad because of it we can't do anything but we only pray for them.

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sachal

Jun 27, 2017 09:45am

It is a really horrific accident.

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Sachin

Jun 27, 2017 11:23am

PM should visit parachinar. Both parachinar and bhawalpur incident are loss of human life . But looking at nature of tragedy and incident bhawalpur and parachinar I have more sympathy with parachinar victims.

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Yasir

Jun 27, 2017 01:49pm

Mr PM Parachinar also need your attention. This is the 3rd incident during this year.

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an observer

Jun 27, 2017 07:34pm

@Sachin Parachinar is not in Punjab.

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kaspar

Jun 27, 2017 09:12pm

The price of administration's negligence: about Rs. 500 million (and increasing). Had they cordoned off the tanker immediately after the accident to keep the ignorant people away, this tragedy would not have happened. Does anyone know whether he visited Parachinar and Quetta, or announce any compensation for the victims of terrorism?

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Sailor

Jun 28, 2017 09:53am

NS by spending from national exchequer for getting personal political gains how shame full, were the burnt ppl doing any national service, by stealing the leaking fuel, ( i have full sympathy for the life lost) but announcing compensations is beyond my understanding except that he is buying votes on public money

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Sailor

Jun 28, 2017 09:56am

@Nomi Goraya pls enlighten me Compensation for what?? Stealing the spilled fuel?? or for Buying the Votes from National Exchequer??

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