Seven days after a deadly gas pipeline explosion and fire in Hattar Industrial Estate in Haripur district, no official inquiry report has been submitted or made public, raising serious concerns over delays in accountability and investigation.

At least eight people, including children, were killed and 11 others injured when a Sui Northern Gas transmission pipeline located near a factory burst and caught fire on Tuesday evening, 14 April, in Hattar Industrial Estate.

Authorities said the blaze erupted in a 16-inch high-pressure gas supply line situated close to factories and residential quarters. Rescue officials reported that several victims likely died due to suffocation, while others sustained severe burn injuries. The injured were shifted to District Headquarters Hospital Haripur and the Rural Health Centre Kot Najibullah.

Emergency response teams including Rescue 1122, firefighters, police, and gas company personnel took several hours to bring the fire under control, even after the main gas supply was shut off. Officials stated that the high pressure in the pipeline significantly hampered firefighting operations.

Following the incident, the Office of the Commissioner Hazara Division, Abbottabad, issued a notification dated April 16, 2026, forming a high-level fact-finding inquiry committee. The committee is headed by the Deputy Commissioner Haripur and includes the District Police Officer Haripur, Executive Engineer Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited, District Emergency Officer Rescue 1122, Medical Superintendent DHQ Hospital Haripur, Additional Assistant Commissioner-II, and Assistant Director Industries.

According to the Terms of Reference, the committee has been tasked with investigating the cause and circumstances of the pipeline blast, determining responsibility, reviewing emergency response measures, assessing fatalities and injuries, and evaluating whether adequate safety protocols were in place. It was directed to submit a detailed report within 24 hours along with recommendations to prevent similar incidents in future. However, despite this directive, no report has been released even after seven days.

Preliminary observations have suggested possible causes including gas pressure fluctuations or a leak linked to nearby industrial chemical storage. However, officials stress that the exact cause remains under investigation.

In a video, locals can be seen speaking to Irum Fatima Turk, a Pakistan Peoples Party political worker, who also contested a National Assembly election, claiming that the gas pipeline, along with a generator, was damaged, and that a voice note sent by workers in a group chat minutes before the incident was followed shortly by the explosion.

Local residents, while talking to Irum Fatima, have strongly criticised the emergency response, alleging delays in shutting off the gas supply and inadequate rescue efforts. They claimed that even if a single valve of the gas line had been closed in time, the incident could have been prevented.

Some residents further alleged that no fire brigade was present when the fire intensified and accused nearby industries of lacking essential safety infrastructure.

Speaking to the locals, Irum Fatima said they have repeatedly urged factory owners to establish a burn unit, but no such facility has been provided. While factory owners generate significant profits, they do not contribute adequately to safety protocols or follow standard operating procedures, she added.

Residents further claimed that due to a lack of safety protocols and weak environmental monitoring, people in the area suffer from heart, skin, and respiratory diseases.

Deputy Commissioner Haripur Shafi stated that police coordinated closely with all rescue teams and also called fire and rescue units from Attock. He said the delay in bringing the fire under control was due to the high-pressure main pipeline, adding that it took nearly two to three hours to fully extinguish the blaze even after the gas supply was shut off.

© Naya Daur