February 27, 2006	Monday	Muharram 28, 1427

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DERA GHAZI KHAN, Feb 26: The death of an elderly woman by drowning in a huge mass of hill torrent water on her way to Zinda Pir shrine some 65 kms from here has again exposed the failure of the government agencies to take safety measures for the devotees.

Reports said Shamim Mai, a resident of Jampur tehsil of Rajanpur district, was crossing a hill along with her grand daughter on their way to the shrine when they slipped and fell into a ditch full of hill torrent water.

The elderly woman drowned while the girl was rescued by some passers by.

Cement Factory Area BMP reached the spot and fished out the body which was handed over to the family, area Jamadar Ghulam Hassan Khan Khosa said.

At least three dozen women and children were swept away by a violent hill torrent last year while returning from the shrine.

Despite such accidents occurring almost every year on the eve of festival at the shrine, neither the district government, nor tribal area tehsil administration nor the Border Military Police bothered to set up any emergency rescue centre in the area to meet any eventuality.

When contacted, BMP Commandant Tariq Bokhari said that he would write to the district health authorities to establish an emergency centre near the shrine.

Concerned circles have suggested that the Auqaf department, which earns huge amounts of money through offerings presented at the shrine should provide funds to set up an emergency centre and provide other facilities to the devotees.

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