Stampede mars BISP disbursement

At least 21 women hospitalised, discharged after first aid

KARACHI:

At least 21 were hospitalised following a stampede on Monday after around 2,000 women assembled at the Karachi Port Trust (KPT) Ground for disbursement of stipend under the Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP).

The stampede ensued as the women rushed to collect funds, officials told The Express Tribune, while confirming that the injured women were shifted to Dr Ruth Pfau Civil Hospital.

At least 17 women fainted during the stampede and 16 of them were discharged shortly after the incident as first aid sufficed, said BISP Deputy Director Shazim. "Just one is in the hospital," he added.

However, it has been reported that two women over the age of 50 were said to be in a critical condition. One woman was shifted to the hospital with a fractured leg. Most of the women shifted to the hospital had complained of breathing troubles.

The disbursement of stipends under BISP had resumed today after being suspended for two days due to intense heat.

As soon as the information was received, police, rangers, officers of other law enforcement agencies and officials of the civil administration reached the spot and immediately brought the situation under control.

The victim women who were in the school to collect the money told The Express Tribune that they had been sitting outside the school since 6am to collect the money. The immense rush of women and the intense heat was overwhelming.

The women were standing next to the main entrance of the school, suddenly the door opened, they said. Due to which the women fell on the ground and other women, showing no empathy, entered the school to collect cash by trampling the fallen.

As a result, several women became unconscious and injured, who were immediately shifted to the hospital. The women said that no security measures were taken in the school. The number of women was very high; few police officers could not control the women.

The affected women also alleged that on the one hand women were mistreated and on the other hand they were also beaten with sticks by cops deployed for crowd control.

The affected women said that they managed to enter the school after standing in queues for several hours in the scorching heat and when they entered the school, they were told that the system of the private bank was down. Due to which the problems of women increased further.

The affected women demanded from the Sindh government to make special arrangements for the distribution of money and to make better arrangements especially for the elderly women, so that they do not face any kind of problem.

Keamri Assistant Commissioner Gohar Masroor, who reached the spot, told The Express that owing to hot weather, the administration had arranged tents and water. He said that 17 women who got unconscious and injured were immediately shifted to the hospital and provided immediate medical assistance.

Masroor said that measures were taken according to the number of women, but three to four relatives had come with each woman due to which the number of persons present at the site had increased overwhelming the arrangements.

The Assistant Commissioner said that if someone has used sticks on women, not only will take notice, but action will also be taken against them according to the law.

According to ASP Baldia, Mugheez Ahmad said that there was no report of baton charge on women, "I have talked to the women present at the stampede." If any such incident was taken place, the matter will be looked into and an inquiry will be held. He said that five women constables and 11 policemen were posted in the school. The deployment of police personnel was ensured under the security plan.

 

Published in The Express Tribune, June 27^th, 2023.