12 perish as cable car falls

MURREE, June 29 (APP): 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.