12 Perish As Cable Car Falls

MURREE, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 29th Jun, 2017 ) : At least 12 persons were killed and two were injured when a cable car (doli) installed by local villagers broke down and fell at Charra Pani in the area of Galiyat region on Thursday.

The cable car, installed over a nullah between Charra Pani and Banwari in Hazara, fell in a ditch about 500 feet below. "There was a strong wind which led to the cable breaking and falling," an eyewitness, Omair, told APP.

He said lift was the only access for the villagers to reach their destination. Most of the villagers avail this mode of travel for reaching other side of the area. The injured were taken to Holy Family Hospital in Rawalpindi, rescue sources said, adding that the 12 persons had died on the spot.

The bodies of the victims have been handed over to their families, including a woman and a child, a rescue official told APP. Another eye witness of incident said that the deceased were players of a local cricket team, departing to participate in cricket tournament in KPK region arranged by the locals.

The doly was over crowded, carrying more passengers than its capacity an eye witness said. The doli can accomodate eight persons, while fourteen passengers were on board, he added.

According to reports locals used the cable car for travel between two villages from Charra Pani to Banwari.

The cable car was installed by locals without approval from the concerned departments. Another doli is being used to travel from Tret to Dannah village. Deputy Commissioner Rawalpindi Talat Mehmood Gondal said the incident took place in Abbottabad district which is part of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and the provincial government would be answerable about the incident.

"We received a call of the accident taking place and Rescue 1122 along with District Rawalpindi rescue teams were immediately mobilized and started rescue operation, the DC added. A spokesperson for Galiyat Development Authority said the main chairlift in Ayubia had not been affected and is operating as per routine.

Meanwhile the families of the victims blamed 'substandard cable car' and the district administration for the tragedy and blocked the main road in protest. The demonstration resulted in creating a massive traffic jam in the already tourist-congested hill station.

Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif on Thursday expressed grief over the loss of lives over the accident of their cable car.