ISLAMABAD – At least 16 people, mostly women and children, have been killed and over a dozen suffered injuries in multiple stampedes during flour, and cash distribution in the Holy Month of Ramadan as a common man is facing wrath of worst economic crisis in recent history.
The worst of the incident occurred in the country’s financial capital Karachi where the boss and staff of a factory are facing a case after a deadly stampede at a free ration distribution point in the port city.
The heinous incident occurred in the SITE industrial area of the provincial capital as scores of people lost consciousness during the stampede at the ration distribution centre. As many lost lives, others fell into a sewerage ravine at the site. Some of the victims were electrocuted by wires and poles near the nullah.
Karachi’s stampede is one such example in recent times as Pakistanis battling to get basic meals with costs of basic commodities like flour and cooking oil going sky high.
A large number of citizens gathered at flour distribution centres and other cash points organised by private donors amid Ramadan as inflation breaks all previous records.
In another such incident, law enforcers fired tear gas to disperse charged mob who went into a frenzy to get food supplies in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province while hundreds of flour bags have also been looted.
The deadly events depict the desperation of distressed Pakistanis as the country’s depreciating currency and the end of basic subsidies on food and fuel under IMF requisites worsened conditions.
Flour prices saw 45 per cent surge as compared to last year and the government started a flour distribution programme but sadly that claimed precious lives, with many raising questions at the haphazard mechanism.
Minister reviews procedures for distributing flour to beneficiaries
