The Tezgam Tragedy.

The fire that broke out on the Tezgam train from Karachi to Rawalpindi - killing at least 72 - is a catastrophe that was easily avoidable if the rules and safety procedures were followed to the letter. According to the government, the fire started when a gas canister brought by passengers to cook their own meals exploded, engulfing three carriages in flames as a result. The state as announced compensation for the victims and heirs, but in light of what happened, 1.5 million in exchange for a lost loved one is a paltry sum that will do little to help the families of those that lost their lives.

The two questions that rise out of this are obvious; why were the passengers not checked before they boarded the train? Was there no conductor or train official on board that could have stopped this tragedy from taking place if the passengers were restricted from cooking on a moving train? According to the Railways Minister, only 7 stations have security checks within, while roughly 580 do not. It is no wonder then that passengers can bring whatever they want on board, regardless of whether or not it goes against all safety and security protocols.

Federal Railways Minister Sheikh Rasheed response also implicates him in this accident. According to the Minister, the fault lies with both passengers and railways staff, the former for bringing and using such dangerous items on board, while the latter failed in preventing this from happening. He also went on to state that greater...

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