Free flour 'rush' shifts to Pakistan govt offices

A huge rush of people and lack of facilities at free flour point has led to the stampede in the region leading to the fainting of some women, who allegedly fainted at these offices due to suffocation during the last few days.

A huge number of people are shifting from free-flour distribution sites in Pakistan to the National Database and Registration Authority (Nadra) and Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP) offices, reported Dawn. A huge rush of people and lack of facilities at free flour point has led to the stampede in the region leading to the fainting of some women, who allegedly fainted at these offices due to suffocation during the last few days.

Both offices are located adjacent to each other near the New General Bus Stand on the Bypass Road. When the distribution of free flour for the downtrodden started, the CNIC was a basic requirement and many people remained deprived of the facility as their CNICs were not having chips. At this, these people rushed to Nadra's office to get their chip-based CNICs, multiplying a load of applicants, according to Dawn.

The BISP beneficiaries are also eligible to get free flour. Besides, after the BISP's recent tranche started, the women in huge numbers started visiting the BISP office situated along the Nadra office. The rush of people and long queues on the road further created hurdles to the flow of traffic on the Bypass Road.

On Friday, in Karachi, at least 12 people have been killed, including 9 women in the stampede on Friday during a ration distribution drive in a factory, Geo News reported. According to rescue officials and police authorities in the region, three children were killed as well.

Also, six people passed out during the stampede, rescuers informed Geo News. Police officers said that a sizable crowd had gathered at the location while the ration was being handed. According to rescue officials, they also received reports of a fire caused by a petrol leak at the factory. They also discovered water in the narrow streets, which appears to indicate that factory workers attempted to put out the fire.

After the incident, Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah on Friday night announced Rs500,000 compensation for the legal heirs of each deceased of the SITE stampede, reported Dawn. He also announced Rs 100,000 for each injured person.

The CM directed the chief secretary to get details about the deceased and injured immediately for the distribution of compensation among them. Meanwhile, Sindh Information Minister Sharjeel Inam Memon said that the factory management did not inform the police or district administration about the distribution of charity, according to Dawn. (ANI)

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)