GUJAR KHAN: The bodies of six people who drowned in Jhelum River were buried in Sagharpur and Peeranwala villages in Jhelum on Thursday night.

Meanwhile, echoes of the tragedy were heard from local mosques to the provincial assembly where the delay in completion of the Jhelum-Lillah carriageway and violation of safety measures by the on-contract boatmen were cited as the cause of the accident that claimed lives of four children and two women.

Retired Brig Mushtaq Lillah, MPA from Pind Dadan Khan, while addressing the house said the district council had awarded a contract for across-the-river transport via boats. He said SOPs and safety measures were violated which led to the death of the six people. The MPA demanded a thorough probe into the matter.

On the other hand, almost all political and social figures of the area, including former federal minister Chaudhry Fawad Hussain and ex-MPA Chaudhry Nazar Gondal, in their statements said the delay in construction of the dug-up road between Pind Dadan Khan and Jhelum was the root cause of the accident.

Chaudhry Fawad said during his government work on the project was approved and started. He alleged that after removal of the government construction work on the project was halted due to ‘stoppage of funds’. He said people of the area were forced to transport their vehicles by loading on unsafe boats as the much needed bridge that was approved by his government was not being considered now.

Meanwhile, prayer leaders during the Friday sermons demanded the completion of the road project.

Published in Dawn, May 18th, 2024