Committee formed to probe into Karachi gas leak

ISLAMABAD: Federal Maritime Minister Syed Ali Haider Zaidi announced the establishment of a committee to probe into the mysterious gas leak that killed over a dozen people in Karachi.

The committee will be headed by Iftikhar Shallwani, Commissioner of Karachi

It will ascertain the root cause and determine the reasons for the incident that started developing from 16th February and kept on affecting the people for consecutive two days.

The decision was taken during a high level meeting co-chaired by Federal Minister for Maritime Affairs Syed Ali Haider Zaidi and Provincial Minister for Local Government Sindh Nasir Hussain Shah was held at Karachi Port Trust Head office.

The meeting was also attended by Member Sindh Provincial Assembly Shahnawaz Jadoon, commissioner Karachi Iftikhar Shallwani, Additional I.G Ghulam Nabi, COS 5 Corps Brig Sami, Col IS 5 Corps Colonel Nasir, Rangers 90 Wing Lt Col Shabbir Nasser, DG SEPA Mr. Naeem Mughal, HEJ Dr Amir Haider and Dr Shakil Ahmed, Marine Environment Specialist Rashid Yahya Usmani and other KPT high officials.

The committee may co-opt the services of experts and technical persons in this regard and give recommendations to avoid such incidents in future.

The said report will be submitted at its earliest, after incorporating the chemical and forensic evidences and its analysis.

The meeting expressed satisfaction over the mitigating circumstances and declining effects of the gas leak which has scaled down to a great extent. This has-been termed as a localized incident affecting few neighborhoods of the railway colony without spreading to any other parts of the city. The residents of that locality only have been cautioned to take precautions to avoid dangerous implications of the gas leak.

The meeting showed deep concerns over the situation that not only affected more than two hundred residents of Keamari and its adjoining areas, but also expressed grief over the loss of precious lives. Environment experts, scientists and representatives of the law enforcement agencies presented various options to resolve the crisis whereby as a precautionary measure the ship carrying soya bean has already been asked to shift to Port Qasim and offload the remaining cargo there.