Murree Snowfall on 7th January 2022

 Murree is one the most beautiful areas of Pakistan which attracts people, especially in the winter season. 

People love to visit Murre with their families and friends. In January 2022, people as usual moved towards the height of Murre but no one speculated a disaster which was happened on 7th January in the form of a snowfall storm. This disastrous incident brought deaths as well as showed the behaviours of the local people of Murre and the negligence of the administration.

Snowstorm on Friday 

On 7th January 2022, a snowstorm began between Friday and Saturday midnight in Murre, Rawalpindi District, Panjab, Pakistan. According to one estimate, 155,000 vehicles permeated into Murree roads before snowfall started and turned into a snowstorm.

Chaudhry Fawad requested to not visit the hill station so he tweeted.” A large crowd is headed toward Murree and hilly areas. The local administration can’t provide facilities to people in each a large number.”

Traffic stuck on Murree roads

On Friday night, All traffic was banned into Murre according to the announcement of Chief traffic Taimoor Khan. All roads were shut off due to heavy snow and intense wind and this caused the fall of the tree as well as slippery roads. People were stuck with their families in their cars. Some people left their cars on the way for seeking protection in hotels.

Difficulties faced by local people of Murree

Heavy snowstorms also arose difficulties for local citizens. Water was frozen in pipes, shortage of gas and call services were cut off. Tourists were forced to spend the night on snowy roads. Continuously falling snow punched the traffic and filled them bumper to bumper. Visitors were shocked it this disaster. 

Tourists used by some local people of Murree

Some Local Citizen helped them by providing blanket, food, or shelter. There is also a dark face of humanity, according to some videos of visitors, some citizen tried to manipulate them by demanding high price of food. Visitors gave different opinions about the people of Murree according to their experiences. But mostly videos showed by local media proved that there was a lack of humanity.

Hotels prices are talking to the sky

Hotels of Murre also took advantage of their helplessness and sold room in 40,000 or 60,000 for a night.Local media revealed that even the price of basic food was increased. Brutal behaviour of humanity compelled the visitors to stay in their vehicles for a long time until the government helped them.

22 People freeze to death

As the result of this critical situation some tourists died suffering from hypothermia. They suffocated in their cars due to producing CO. One of the Victims Naveed Iqbal in his voice message implored for help from his cousin, Tayyab Gondal at 6 O’Clock and then last time at 4 O’clock. Tayyab Gondal informed the 

authority and gave the live location of Naveed Iqbal, they waited for almost twenty hours but there was no movement until they died. It was informed that almost 22 people died. After the loss of precious lives, people try to highlight this news on social media by different photos and videos.

Reactions

After this tragedy Prime Minister Imran Khan authorized an investigation. He said that district administration was “caught unprepared” due to unusual snowfall and lot of people proceeding without checking weather condition.” Senior journalist Absa Komal called it “Insensitive” and “shocking” response. 8

th January on Saturday, the government called millinery for rescue. Federal Interior Minister Sheikh Rasheed Ahmad reached Murree to direct the rescue operation. He said 

in a video message that tourists had crowded to hilltop in such large numbers “ for the first time in 15 to 20 years which created a big crisis.”

All this shows that government was unaware and not ready for these circumstances.

Opposition political leaders started leg pulling of the government. Leader of Opposition in the National Assembly Shehbaz Sharif said in his tweet that he was heartbroken over this tragedy of Murre and required who is responsible for these deaths.

PPP Vice President Sherry Rehman also criticises by saying that “ Instead of seeking more tourists, the government should have given a warning for jammed roads. These were tragic and avoidable losses that no one intended, but no one acted in time either. Lessons need to be learnt.”

Fawad Chaudhry reacted to that objections and said that unfortunately, the opposition is playing politics on this matter.

There is a lot of confusion about who is the murderer of these deaths? The victims are themselves who ignored the weather indication or local citizens included hotel owners who exploit humanity or the government who ignored the numbers of people on the road and allow them to come despite the deficiency of management.

After this tragic incident, the government immediately took steps to clear out roads and gave instructions to ambulance services, security teams to remain active all the time. Hotels owners opened their hotels for tourists and provided food and shelter free of cost.

It was said by visitors that they faced crucial behaviour of people living in Murree and from the hotels. But later on, hotel owners denied all accusations and blamed that accusations are responsible for these deaths. 

In a National press conference, hotel owners said that the government was not ready for this incident and it all happened because of its management.

In nutshell

Common people should take seriously governments instruction. Humanity is a great gift and in a difficult time, people should come to gather and hold each other’s hands despite taking advantage. Above all this government should always be ready for unpredictable situations. We will grow when everyone

knows how to act like humans.