190 killed, Pakistan fire caused by a cigarette butt

190 killed, Pakistan, June 25th.

Bahawalpur-Lahore Highway: The site of 190 killed, Pakistan. Villagers looting fuel from crashed tankers isn’t something new in Pakistan but last Sunday was different. A day before Eid (the end of a months religious fasting), this sad incident happened in Ahmedpur East.

The tire of a tanker burst which caused the tanker to crash. The tanker was reportedly carrying 25,000 liters (5,500 gallons) of fuel from Karachi to Vehari.
Villagers working in mango gardens and passers by in cars and on bikes, all gathered to loot the fuel and fill up their tanks. Reportedly, the tanker’s crash was announced in a mosque nearby so that villagers at home could benefit from the opportunity. Ironically, this happened during Ramzan and while fasting. The 190 killed, Pakistan, were villagers and passers by of all ages

Women, children, elderly, as well as young men, all were present at the scene with pots and utensils to gather the fuel. While this was going on, a man decided to calm his nerves in this excited and tense situation, hence, lit up a cigarette.

That cigarette was lit up and so was the oil. There was a huge blast and all the thieves were burning without discrimination.

Approximately 100 people died in an instant, on the scene.

 

Army rushed to the scene with helicopters to transfer the wounded to the nearby hospital, which was 100km away, in Multan (Nishtar Hospital).

The nearest hospitals didn’t have any burn units.

Apparently, Punjab CM Mian Shahbaz Sharif thought that hospitals, health and education were not a prime concern.

He subsequently used the province’s funds to construct a classy train in Lahore.

The PM also thought to visit Pakistan from his hometown London, after constantly being bashed for not even offering condolences to families.

Well, the Canadian PM filled the gap, and apparently, that too is the success of Nawaz Sharif and his government. All became politics and 180+ lives were played a dirty game of point scoring.

This particular area, Multan, is famous for another incident which happened a few years back, when an announcement was made in a mosque.

Ghulam Abbas, a mental patient was arrested on the accusation of burning Holy Quran Pages and taken into custody.

Religious cleric announced on the load speaker about this blasphemy and sentenced that mental patient as a criminal.

His situation was announced and he was taken into Police custody.

An angry mob of approximately 2000 people got out and blocked Lahore-Karachi Highway (the same highway where the tanker crashed).

This mob attacked the Police Station and took custody of the mental patient.

He was soaked in fuel and set alight. The mob then pelted him with stones until he was dead. Many vehicles were torched by the mob and police quarters were also damaged.
According to Police, this person was homeless, abnormal and was in his early forties.

Independent Human Rights Commission (HRCP) condemned. Amnesty International condemned. London based rights groups too made some noise but in the end, all forgot.