As harrowing details of the tragedy that struck the tourists in the snowcapped mountains of Murree unfold, the nation wonders about the accountability of those responsible for the catastrophe. Some of the common themes in the discussion on the causes of tragedy have been the ineptness of the civil administration, the greed of the “hotel mafia” and the indiscretion of the tourists.

The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) has, in particular, drawn public ire for having failed to foresee the fury of the elements. The armed forces have been criticised for failing to act despite being stationed in the safety of their barracks virtually within metres of the scene of the tragedy.

The government has set up a committee to probe the tragedy. The opposition has warned that the committee lacks credibility and that a judicial commission should be set up instead. Ironically, the PTI leadership, which had been quite vocal in demanding action against the Sharifs following the Model Town tragedy, appears to be dragging its feet on the demand for a judicial commission.

As an aside, the record of setting up judicial commissions in the wake of national tragedies and significant disasters and the extent to which the ends of justice were served do not inspire confidence.

The Murree tragedy has laid bare the wide gulf between the government’s claims to holding sacrosanct all human life and its actions. Our leaders too often refer to the hypothetical death of a dog on the banks of the Euphrates in the context of accountability of those entrusted with executive powers. However, the statistics rarely support government claims.

Pakistan has one of the highest levels of under-five mortality. Average disability-adjusted life years (DALYs), a measure of public health considered better than average longevity, are comparable to Sub-Saharan Africa. Thousands of lives lost to traffic accidents and avoidable health conditions, and millions of children and adults suffering from morbidity and malnutrition, show that life is not so sacred to the authorities in Pakistan.

The Murree tragedy should not be seen in isolation. If we want to make sure that such tragedies do not occur again, we must put in place an effective system that keeps into account the peculiar dynamics and realities of Pakistani life and public attitudes.

Before undertaking a discussion of the broad contours of a system that provides maximum safety of life and limb and promotes the tourism industry, we can make a few assumptions about the important factors that shape public health outcomes.

Earmarking parking spaces at regular intervals in proximity to tourists’ destination and plying affordable and comfortable public transport in and around tourist destinations seems to be our only option.

First, the road safety standards and the public conduct on roads reflect a deeply flawed social organisation. A sizable number of individuals look overtly self-centered, encroach on all available space and are keen to exploit every situation to their advantage. Making queues, waiting for one’s turn and patience are not what Pakistanis are generally famous for. So, the management of the tourism industry or other entertainment avenues must focus on regulating the traffic with a credible threat of force.

Earmarking parking spaces at regular intervals in proximity to the tourists’ destination and plying affordable and comfortable public transport in and around tourist destinations seems to be our only option. Keeping most of traffic away from the cities will make sure that the roads are not clogged and the quality of the environment is not compromised.

This model has been successfully implemented in many densely populated cities in the developed world. Once it has been tried around tourist destinations, it may be replicated in downtown areas in large cities. As an illustration, the business hubs in old Lahore, especially the areas within the Walled City, must be declared off-limit for private vehicles and effective public transport should be introduced.

Secondly, it is safe to assert that businesses, or more crudely the “hotel mafia,” will always display rent-seeking behaviour that infringes on the rights of the tourists. Tourists routinely complain about inflated room charges and poor service quality. However, it is not easy to regulate the business at tourist destinations because they work under serious constraints.

The hotel owners have to make good on their investment in a narrow timeframe, generally starting in May and ending in September. Only a few places open for tourism in the snowy season. If the government forces the owners to set the prices too low, it may force them to channel their investment to alternative ventures, thus further degrading the quality and quantity of available facilities.

Still, there is some room for maneuver within the framework of neo-liberal economic policies. For example, the government can play a greater role in removing information asymmetries and ensure effective coordination. If the government shares information about the available space in tourist destinations in the form of travel advisories, it would cut the difference between supply and demand, thus minimising the safety concerns.

The Motorway Police have been successfully issuing travel advisories in times of emergency, thus saving precious lives and property. The government may start with the precise estimate of the capacity in each tourist destination and share information with the public so that the public can make more informed decisions.

Thirdly, the choice of individuals for top managerial positions is generally not informed by any merit. Allocation of top positions is generally rooted in political expediency. Distribution of ministerial portfolios among the less capable lot as a price of political coalition making is the most telling example of this sordid saga. This structural issue not only perpetuates inefficiency but also explains why most of Pakistan’s problems are so intractable.

Fourthly, there is no strong tradition of accountability of the people at the top positions for their failure to rise to the challenge. It requires a fundamental change in the work ethics of the public sector departments. The objectives of each ministry or department must be made public regularly and penalties must be suggested for missing the goals.

Pecuniary punishment, such as deduction from salaries should be considered for failure to achieve stated goals on time. The NDMA has attracted immense public outrage and dismay precisely because of its spectacular failure to foresee the fury of the elements. Islamabad High Court Chief Justice Athar Minallah has said that ineptness of the NDMA may be the fundamental reason behind the tragedy.

Because of the extreme weather patterns, only a few places attract tourists in large number because the infrastructure in these areas is relatively better developed. The government may try to enlarge the choices in tourism by expanding and developing the infrastructure and providing alternative tourist destinations by promoting facilities.

Tourism to historical places may be taken up in earnest. Currently, the roads connecting the major arteries with the historical places, such as the Katas Raj temple and Harappa are in shambles.

Finally, the proclivity of a typical Pakistani to pollute the environment by trashing around and spreading litter must be a focus of public policy. If tourism industry makes even moderate growth in the coming years, it is almost certain that the quality of the environment in the areas frequented by the tourists will be massively degraded.

The government can, at the very least, regulate the plastic consumed and trashed in tourist destinations by slapping a ban on the sale of shopping bags in the designated areas.

The seriousness of the government in making the safety of human life a top priority will be judged by the concrete steps it takes now.

The writer is an associate professor in the Department of Economics at COMSATS University Islamabad, Lahore Campus