By Muhammad Luqman
Shell Pakistan has agreed to pay a fine of about Rs257 million ($2.4 million) in compensation for the tanker explosion on the outskirts of central Pakistan town of Bahawalpur that killed 217 people last month.
The blast on June 25 was one of the worst accidents in the country’s history. A tanker carrying fuel rolled over in Punjab and villagers rushed to collect leaking fuel. Something then set off a fireball
The regulator, the Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA), held Shell Pakistan responsible for the accident in which 217 people died and 61 were injured
The company said the tanker was owned by a contractor it hired to transport its fuel
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Shell Pakistan Ltd (SPL) said it would pay the fine to “comply with the regulator’s directive”.
In a statement, Shell Pakistan added: “However, we do so while reserving the right to contest the fine.”
The energy regulator ordered Shell Pakistan to pay a fine of 10 million rupees ($95,000).
In addition, it ordered the company to pay one million rupees ($9,400) in compensation to the families of each of those killed and half a million ($4,700) for each person injured.
