Pakistani celebs heartbroken as over a dozen die in stampedes at free flour centres

LAHORE – A number of videos have been posted on social media platforms showing the inflation-hit poor people of Pakistan jostling for free flour, Zakat money and other basic things of daily use.

Visuals show people standing in long queues to get free flour from the centres set up by the government to provide relief, as inflation rose to the highest level in Pakistan since 1965. Some affluent people are also privately distributing rations among people.

An ill-planned handout distribution claimed over a dozen lives in Karachi on Friday. At least 16 people, including five women and three children, have lost their lives in stampedes at free flour centres in recent days. Thousands of bags of free flour have been looted from trucks by the needy people.

A disturbing event occurred on Friday when a stampede occurred at a SITE area factory in Karachi during distribution of ration. At least 12 people have died in this particular incident and many are said to be in a critical condition at the Abbasi Shaheed Hospital.

The worrying situation has drawn reaction from the Pakistani celebrities and they have called for devising a mechanism to prevent such incidents in future.

Taking to Twitter, Saba Qamar wrote: “Heart-wrenching news from Karachi. 11 people lost their lives due to stampede during ration distribution. Ya Allah rehem."

Heart-wrenching news from Karachi. 11 people lost their lives due to stampede during ration distribution. Ya Allah rehem. 💔

— Saba Qamar (@s_qamarzaman) March 31, 2023

Singer Ali Zafar also expressed sadness over the state of affairs, saying poor people were suffering while elite were busy in fighting.

Sad and heartbreaking to see the state of affairs. The poor suffer while the prevelaged fight. We all must find a way to work together for their sake. https://t.co/7HcZ02AiTF

— Ali Zafar (@AliZafarsays) March 31, 2023

“Sad and heartbreaking to see the state of affairs. The poor suffer while the prevelaged fight. We all must find a way to work together for their sake,” he wrote in a tweet.