On June 25, hundreds of people were killed and many others injured after a fire erupted in an oil tanker, which had overturned near Bahawalpur. Photo: file 

ISLAMABAD: The Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA) has held a private oil company responsible for Ahmedpur Sharqia oil tanker fire, which has claimed more than 200 lives so far.

On June 25, hundreds of people were killed and many others injured after a fire erupted in an oil tanker, which had overturned near Bahawalpur. In a investigative report of the incident, OGRA held the private company responsible and fined a meager penalty of Rs10 million.

According to the report, the oil tanker of the private company did not meet the set requirements. Moreover, the fitness certificate issued to the oil tanker also turned out to be fake.

A 15 excel tanker is needed to transport about 50,000 litres oil, but the tanker used by the private company was of 14 excel.

OGRA?s report also directed the oil company to pay Rs1 million as compensation to the families of the victims and Rs0.5 million to the injured. 

According to Reuters, the road accident was caused by "non-professional driving/vehicle being lesser than required specs", the authority said in a report.

"The report shows that they [private oil company] have completely ignored the safety standards of the vehicles procured from the contractors," OGRA spokesman Imran Ghaznavi told Reuters.

The regulator also ordered the company to upgrade its "infrastructure" in line with its standards.

The OGRA sent a letter to the company on Monday asking for a detailed report on the accident but the authority had not got a reply, Ghaznavi said, adding that the company has the right to appeal against the fine and compensation demand.