The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Monday directed the Ministry of Interior (MoI) to submit its findings about the Tezgam Express fire incident.
A single bench of IHC Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kayani heard a petition filed by Advocate Riaz Hanif Rahi.
Secretary Interior and secretary Railways appeared before the court in pursuance of the court direction.
Secretary Railways, submitted report in sealed envelop, while the secretary Interior sought some time.
Later, the bench directed secretary Interior to submit report before the next hearing and adjourned proceedings of the case till March 14th.
The petitioner has sought removal of Federal Minister for Railways Sheikh Rashid Ahmed, and demanded an independent inquiry under the Pakistan Commission Inquiry Act 2017 for the October 31 tragedy.
In the tragic incident, at least 74 people were killed and dozens were injured on October 31, 2019, after a gas cylinder exploded in the train near Rahim Yar Khan's Liaqatpur area.
The Tezgam train was on its way from Karachi to Rawalpindi, when the gas cylinder carried by a passenger exploded, killing and injuring the passengers.
The petitioner stance is that the federal minister has claimed that the fire was a result of passengers, who were cooking food using a cylinder in the moving train.
He said both the parties should be heard under Section 24-A of the General Clauses Act 1897. "A man who believes unilateral view is not righteous within the definition of Article 62(I)(1) of the 1973 Constitution," stated the petition, adding that the railways minister had lost "legal, religious, ethical and constitutional" justification to remain in office after believing in a one-sided view - that of the train officials - and officiating a response without the completion of the inquiry.
The petitioner also questioned that why Prime Minister Imran Khan had not asked Rashid to step down?
He submitted that, in the past, PM Imran had urged for ministers to resign to ensure transparent inquiries.
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