Stampedes in Pakistan for Free Atta; Two Dead

A woman and a man got killed and several others were injured in stampedes during free flour centers in different parts of Pakistan.

Protest demonstrations were held against the government for badly handling flour distribution, reported Pakistan’s The News.

A stampede for free flour occurred in Sahiwal where a large crowd of women gathered up in long queues. With time the women became impatient which resulted in the stampede. A woman was killed while 46 others were injured in this stampede. Police had to use batons to disperse the free flour-seeking crowd.

As per reports, another stampede during free flour distribution happened in Rahim Yar Khan. Here a 73-year-old man was crushed to death, while several others were injured.

In Pakistan’s Jhang, women demonstrated against the alleged torture of an old woman at a flour disbursement. They alleged that the distributing authorities were displaying a discriminatory attitude while disbursing flour bags, The News reported.

Similar protests and brawls during the distribution of free government wheat flour were witnessed at various places in Peshawar, The Express Tribune reported.

In the Hasilpur tehsil of southern Punjab in Pakistan, at least five women were injured in a stampede at a free flour distribution point.