ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court on Wednesday observed that there was a need to check all the CNG kits installed in the vehicles thorough out the country in order to prevent the tragic incidents like Gujrat where about 18 school children were burnt to death after their van caught fire.
A three-judge bench comprising Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, Justice Ijaz Ahmed Chaudhry and Justice Gulzar Ahmed resumed hearing in a suo-moto case regarding the sad incident of Gujrat.
The bench observed that no lesson was learnt by the authorities even after the same incident of Faisalabad early last year where a van caught fire and same was repeated on May 25 when a school van caught fire due to non-maintenance of vehicle.
The court maintained that such like incidents would continue in future if strict steps would not be taken by the transport authority and the petroleum department.
The bench also observed that the court has to take strict action and suspend a few top brass officers in order to teach lesson to the remaining ones.
During the course of proceeding, Secretary Petroleum, Chief Secretary Punjab and Secretary Transport presented fact finding reports before the court.
Justice Gulzar Ahmed remarked that only reports do not serve purpose as nothing had been done on ground.
Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry questioned about the procedure of installing and checking the CNG kits in vehicles.
Irshad Ahmed Khokar, an official of Petroleum Ministry apprised to the court that checking of CNG kits was the responsibility of Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA) and not the ministry.
Stating facts about the incident, he said that the driver was carrying some plastic cans of petrol in his van which caught fire and as a result the whole van engulfed in fire.
On a question regarding the steps taken after the incident, Tahir Ali Khatak, District Police Officer Gujrat replied that the driver of the van was taken into custody on the very same day.
He further stated that the principal of school, who was also the owner of the school and a share holder in the van, was also arrested.
Justice Ijaz Chaudhry remarked that these were all private people, questioning whether the police had caught any official found responsible of the incident.
The court expressed its concern over the lethargic behavior of the authorities who were still not on their front foot to take revolutionary steps in order to curb such incidents in future.
The bench while terming it a criminal negligence on part of various departments remarked that why not the high ups should be sent behind the bars.
Later, the bench issued directions to secretary Regional Transport Authority (RTA) to present a detailed report pointing out the responsible of the incident, steps taken after the incident and the causes and reasons of this tragedy and adjourned further hearing till Thursday, June 06.
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