Amusement park tragedy

The tragic accident at the Askari Amusement Park in Karachi has shocked many. A young girl lost her life when a swing – which was on its trial run – collapsed at the park. In light of this incident, we must take a series of steps to ensure that safety standards are followed without fail. The park management and government authorities must be held accountable for their carelessness. Why did the city administration give permission to the relevant authorities open the park without carrying out suitable inspections?

This has also led to a few important questions: Who in this country ensures that safety standards are followed before opening a park’s doors for public? Do safety standards even exist outside the boundaries of a white paper? This incident could have easily been prevented had the rules been followed strictly at the very outset. It should be binding upon the operators to make specific that safety rules do not go unnoticed. This incident should be an eye-opener for the authorities concerned who award NOCs to park operators without prior checks.

Sidra Ayub

Karachi