UNITED NATIONS, Jan 11, (Asia Free Press): United Nations Organization (UNO) Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has expressed his deep condolences on the death of 23 people after a deadly snowstorm trapped them in their vehicles as tens of thousands of tourists thronged Pakistan’s hill station of Murree, according to Pakistani media.
“As in any incident and tragic loss of life, our sympathies go out to the victims,” his spokesman, Stephane Dujarric, said in response to a question from APP at the regular noon briefing in New York.
Earlier, in a tweet, Pakistani prime minister Imran Khan said, “Shocked and upset at tragic deaths of tourists on road to Murree. Unprecedented snowfall and rush of people proceeding without checking weather conditions caught district admin unprepared. Have ordered inquiry and putting in place strong regulation to ensure prevention of such tragedies.”
After the said tragedy, the Punjab government declared Murree a calamity-hit region and sought help from the Pakistan Army after at least 23 tourists died in their vehicles.
Later, Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly of Pakistan Shahbaz Sharif, on yesterday’s session of the National Assembly, demanded the formation of a judicial commission to probe the Murree tragedy and find out the guilty characters.
