RAWALPINDI; The Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR) on Sunday said on Sunday the troops of Pak army have cleared all calamity -hit areas of Murree and Guliyats besides shifting of stranded tourists to safe places.
In a statement issued here, the ISPR said Guldana, Bariyan and Gulyats have been cleared of snow and trapped tourists have been shifted to Islamabad.
Pakistan had called in the army and rangers on Saturday to.help rescue thousands of.tourists trapped in Murree, hilly tourist area of its largest province
..Punjab.
Wee hours on Saturday had turned like a D,- Day in Murree and Guliyats when thousands of tourists had got stuck on the roads during heavy snowstorm here, resulting in freezing to death of at least 21 of them.. Those who died due to freezing in their cars also included 8 of one family. The roads leading to Murree and its srounding Guliyats got blocked during heavy snow in wee hours on Saturday. Tourists who had got stucked in their cars had to wait till Saturday morning for help when the rescue teams rushed for roads clearnce in the area.
The local administration in Murree did not take necessary steps to stop the tourists influx that choked the roads here during heavy snowfall.
Murree is a hilly tourist point of Punjab, major province of Pakistan and it has always been a great attraction for the tourists during snow fall. The Murree city and its surrounding Guliyats have capacity to host 25 thousands vehicles, but on Saturday huge number of vehicles entered in the area. The tourists rush in the area choked the roads and meanwhile snow fall turned into a snow storm. The local administration could not stop the tourists influx to avert the deadly situation that resulted in human tragedy.
