Tezgam fire incident case: IHC summons Railways, Interior ministry top officials

ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Monday ordered secretaries of the Ministry of Interior and the Ministry of Railways to appear before the court in person in the next hearing in Tezgam fire tragic incident near Rahim Yar Khan.

Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kiyani of the Islamabad High Court presided over the hearing of petition filed by Riaz Hanif Rahi, the president of Jurist Foundation, seeking an independent inquiry into Tezgam train fire incident of October 31, 2019.

During hearing, Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kiyani expressed displeasure at the proceedings and response from the ministries concerned over the matter.

Justice Kiyani remarked “Does the court need to summon the prime minister now?” he added that people were burnt to death while the two ministries were unaware of telling anything.

“Do we need to tell the Prime Minister that the two ministries aren’t working properly,” Justice Kiyani questioned. He further remarked that both ministries are asleep as they think that nobody had died in the incident. “If you won’t work, then we will make you work through the court’s orders,” he added. Justice Kiyani remarked that federal government even doesn’t know that FIR was lodged or not. You are oppressing the people while sitting in a building in Islamabad. Court remarked that five months have been passed and you are still writing a letter seeking a report. “Do you consider the Islamabad High Court “a sort of postal office”? he added.

The lawyer of the railways ministry told the court that the inquiry of the incident has been completed and being further reviewed.

The court sought final report of the incident. The report has been submitted in the Senate. To this Justice Kiyani remarked that “Don’t tell the story of the Senate and National Assembly inform the court about your performance. The court ordered all the investigation officers to appear before the court in person and adjourned the hearing till February 24.