Saturday was yet another day of protests and brawls between police and general public as mismanagement and stampedes once again marked the day during the distribution of free wheat flour in Peshawar.
Protests broke out in Hayatabad area of the city during the distribution of free wheat flour after a mob tried to forcefully enter the Hayatabad Sports Complex and the police tried to stop them. The police used tear-gas shelling to disperse the violent mob which in return pelted stones at the police vehicles and personnel. They blocked the road in protest, demanding fair distribution.
The protesters complained that they had to wait in long queues for the entire day and still returned home empty-handed.
They claimed that wheat flour was being distributed on the basis of nepotism, with political affiliation taken into account.
Complaints of not receiving the free government wheat flour were increasing with each passing day.
The police had advised the provincial government to use the Frontier Constabulary (FC) to keep the law and order situation under control during the process of free wheat flour distribution.
The district administration told The Express Tribune that they had to stop the process of wheat flour distribution after stone-pelting and stampedes damaged the vehicles at the sports complex.
The police officials said they had hardly come up with the manpower for the ongoing census in the city.
Apart from that, they also had to deploy police personnel for the security of bazaars and mosques during the holy month of Ramazan.
They said across the province, its southern districts in particular, a large number of women gathered at the distribution points to collect free wheat flour, making it difficult for the police to manage the situation.
Published in The Express Tribune, April 2nd, 2023.
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