ISLAMABAD: Minister for Railways Sheikh Rashid Wednesday announced compensation of Rs1.5 million each for the families of Tezgaam train fire victims who lost their lives and Rs 0.5 million each for the injured.
In a video message, the minister said that around 65 passengers were martyred and 33 others injured after two cylinders and a stove exploded in the train in Liaqatpur near Rahim Yar Khan.
The coaches were booked by Ameer of Tableeghi Jamaat, Hussain for the passengers of different districts of Sindh for travelling to Raiwind, Lahore.
He appreciated rescue and relief teams of different organizations as well as Pakistan Army troops for reaching the incident site in time to start rescue operation and evacuate the victims from the train.
He also thanked the Chief of Army Staff for making arrangements of his air-travel to reach Rahim Yar Khan from Nur Khan Airbase and check rescue and relief activities there.
The members of Tableeghi Jamaat mostly use trains to travel and we have just opened the Raiwind station. 134 trains stopped for two minutes at Raiwind station from where the passengers carried stove and cylinders, causing blast in the train.
The major seven regional headquarters of railways are equipped with scanners however the small railway stations have no scanners to check the luggage carried by passengers, he added.
Sheikh Rashid prayed to Almighty Allah to rest the departed souls in eternal peace and grant courage to members of the bereaved families to bear this loss with equanimity.
According to the officials, the minister also ordered a detailed inquiry into the incident to determine the root cause of the tragedy and identify the responsible staff, who allowed the passengers to carry cylinders and stove with them.
Sheikh Rashid directed the officials concerned to submit the preliminary report of the tragedy within 24 hours.
