LAHORE - Expressing grief over the Ghotki train tragedy which took lives of more than 70 people and injured over 100, Jamaat-e-Islami Emir Sirajul Haq has demanded an impartial inquiry and strict actions against the responsible. Everyone knew a committee will be constituted now but people would never know its findings, he said in a statement issued from Mansoora on Monday. “The Prime Minister quotes examples of the West on every occasion and I want to question him now that who has to resign if this tragedy happens in Europe,” he said. The fact was that not only Pakistan Railways but every institution witnessed a perpetual decline over past few decades and the successive governments including the incumbent rulers did nothing for institutions building, he said, adding the PR had been an asset of the country but it was now on the verge of total collapse. Colliding of trains had become a permanent feature, he regretted. The railways rolling stock, locomotives, coaches, workshops and other infrastructure were presenting gloomy picture and this government had not made even a try to fix the problems, he regretted. The JI chief expressed condolence with the families of the deceased and prayed for the quick recovery of the injured. He demanded compensation for the families of dead and injured.
He admitted the political point scoring could never be justified on the loss of precious lives but it was the moral and national duty of the JI and people of Pakistan to record their protest on negligence of the rulers and management when this kind of incidents happened. He said the government must focus on welfare of the people and institutions building if it was sincere to the country.