KARACHI, June 2: The absence of life-saving protective measures at picnic spots in and around the city, and unbridled pursuit of profit at gross human cost, which resulted in the drowning of 26 people at Keenjhar Lake on Sunday, have widely been criticized by a cross section of society.
Chief of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement Altaf Hussain, while condoling the death of holiday-makers at Keenjhar Lake, urged the Sindh government to ensure establishment of emergency centres at Keenjhar and other lakes.
As relatives mourned the death of their loved ones in Sunday’s tragedy, Faisal Edhi of the Edhi Foundation said the tragedy occurred because the boat was heavily overloaded and there were no security measures and facilities available there.
He regretted that though toll tax was being recovered by certain agencies, no safety and security facilities were being provided. “There is not a single boat available there which could be used for rescue operation,” Mr Edhi said adding that thousands of people used to visit such sites on holidays but the officials didn’t ensure appropriate safety measures. Local administration should be held responsible for the situation, he added.
Mr Edhi pointed out that no rescue boats were available on Karachi beaches and there was a great need for sea ambulance to cater to the needs of the people living in the coastal areas.
Demanding a meaningful and firm action against those responsible for the tragedy, the Pakistan People’s Party’s information secretary, Taj Haider, said: “We may not meet the basic levels of a civilized state and society unless we start attaching primary and central importance to safety, rights and wellbeing of human being.”
“Why were the simple safety equipment like life jackets, tubes or ropes that are regulatory for every floating craft missing and why did the boat carry more people than its capacity?” he asked.
Mr Haider observed that in all our water reservoirs, the underwater growth of weed acted as a death trap. Clearing of these weeds has to be a continuous process even from the point of view of restoring the capacity of reservoirs. This has completely been ignored even at places like Keenjhar frequented by people in a large number, he said.
Senator Nisar A. Memon expressed his shock and grief over this unwarranted loss of precious lives and said this was not for the first time such an incident had taken place at Keenjhar. This shows carelessness and criminal negligence on the part of the concerned departments. These lives could have been saved if there were necessary safety, rescue and emergency facilities available at the lake, he added.
He called upon the provincial and district governments to extend their cooperation in providing necessary facilities for the picnickers at Keenjhar and other lakes in order to prevent any further loss of precious lives.
He demanded that the report of the inquiry into the incident be made public and all those responsible for this unfortunate loss be brought to justice.
He also called for a review of the exiting laws on safety provisions at public places and suggested that heavy penalty be imposed to avoid such kind of incidents in future.