Multan tragedy report: Inquiry panel holds PTI responsible for deaths
A three-member inquiry committee on Monday held Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) top functionaries in Multan responsible for the October 10 stampede and “mismanagement at Qasim Bagh Stadium” during the party’s rally.
The stampede itself led to the deaths of seven people and injuries to dozens more. The inquiry committee has handed over its report to the Punjab government for further action.
Under an agreement with the district coordination officer, PTI’s Multan district body had chosen the venue for the public gathering to be addressed by Imran Khan. For its part, the district government handed over the management of the stadium to PTI office bearers, an official associated with the committee said.
The stadium has a seating capacity of 25,000 to 30,000 but the PTI rally drew a crowd that was three times more than that. Such a big gathering is difficult to control. The stadium has six gates, each 11 to 12 feet wide and all gates were functional before the commencement of the public gathering, the inquiry said.
The inquiry committee pointed out that the stampede started during Imran Khan’s speech. The PTI chief was accordingly informed by the party leaders about the situation. The allegation that the district administration had closed four gates and switched off main streetlights leading to the stadium was found to be baseless as all gates were kept open and lights were on, it claimed.
The PTI district body set up a stage in front of one gate and it was reserved for VIPs, the inquiry revealed. The district administration handed over control of affairs inside the stadium to PTI management while the security and management outside were in the hands of civil and police administration, the inquiry committee added.
The report claimed that the arrangements made by PTI were poorly managed owing to an internal rift, because PTI vice chairman Shah Mehmood Qureshi had unofficially replaced the role of PTI district president Ejaz Janjua in management with his son Zain Qureshi two days prior to the gathering.
The move was largely unpopular with PTI city office bearers who failed to cooperate wholeheartedly with Janjua’s replacement. This led to poor arrangements for the gathering, the report said.
The political gathering kicked off at 9.30am and all duties inside the stadium were performed by PTI officials. The supply of electricity to the stage from where leaders had to address was from a generator and the Multan Electric Power Company supplied electricity at the stadium which remained on till 9.30 pm.
The inquiry committee recommended that in future no political gathering should be allowed inside the stadium and it should be at open space encircled by tents to avoid such an incident. As stampede started the city government used water jet which stopped people otherwise casualties would have been more if people had continued to rush for evacuation.
The Punjab government constituted the three-member inquiry committee, headed by Environment Secretary Iqbal Chauhan and DIG Ali Aamir Malik and the Home Department’s Special Secretary Dr Shoaib Akbar as its members.
PTI officials, however, rejected the report, hastening to add that party chief Imran Khan had demanded inquiry under a high court judge.
Published in The Express Tribune, October 14th, 2014.
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Observation of enquiry committee regarding conflict witin PTI is glairing and cannot be ruled out, however had there been lesser number of attendent the incident may have been avoided. The tragec incident is an example of short vision, in-experience, lack of capacity and of course lead to mismanagement. It is Qureshi at the part of PTI and local management to be held responsible.
Lets see now, a VIP gate for the party that si fighting VIP culture. And Qureshi assigning his son as the person in charge for the party claiming to be against nepotism.
It is really Old Pakistan under the new packing of Naya Pakistan.
Were streetlights controlled by PTI were entrance gates controlled by PTI.....Liers N league...Shame to you
@king: i don't believe this as entire Leadership of PTI comprises of minors so they cannot be held responsible till they are over eighteen.
@mubeen yaqub: Despite a PTI Follower I completely agree with the statement; very disappointed to see how the PTI Leadership completely ignored the calls that people are fainting and continued with their speeches - time to think whether they actually "care" for their people - not apparently visible though......their actions negated their words!....further IK should not have left Multan that evening after getting to know about the stampede-his presence at that moment also would have made a difference; I can see their mistakes one after the other.....
The mistake needs to be admitted with grace-yes there was a poor management and one should not challenge this fact since there is ALWAYS poor management by PTI during such jalsas and the same can be witnessed through the live coverage of media; as seen at Karachi and Lahore - poor show since precious lives were lost; PTI should ensure to have no songs during the dharnas atleast for 10 days - the least that we expect in honor of those killed.
Go Cancer GO, You abuse our social & culture norms of the society , Please go away and re marry with Jamima . Go Cancer Go.
I challenge everyone to please bring just one verdict by Lahore High Court or any District or Session Court that was produced against Shareef Khandaan during the last 2 or 3 decades. Moreover, just a single guy SIKANDER, stands still the capital of this country, how could one expect justice from this Shareef family!!!!! When raise concern about their injustice, they would always smile and say "Adalat ka darwaza khatkhatao, adaalatein azaad hain... Lolz..... Dear Citizens, white collar crimes are never seen and that's why they are white collar!!!!! And when it comes to justice, we are shown a path of normal and poor judges who would never dare to go against their lords! I have an idea,, when these lords go abroad for hospital services in foreign and developed countries and run their businesses there, THEN THEIR CASES SHOULD ALSO BE TRIED IN FOREIGN COURTS AND THEN THEY WOULD REALIZE THE TASTE OF ACCOUNTABILITY! LOLZ
I just think any committee representing itself will be absolutely insane to rule out something specifically against its favor, when you put an investigation on course and then make the 'investigated' a judge, you obviously, by any means of clarity - shift the momentum in balance toward an advantage for the judging party involved "to judge, or rule out, its own crime." It's just stupid, to be honest, even if turns out right, no one is going to believe it - I wouldn't either.
If we talk based on logic rather than junoon, we can see the footage in which DJ Butt repeatedly asking the Leaders to do something but they were busy in Go Nawaz Go. It was looking like "Awam ka Hashr Jo B Ho. Go Nawaz Go". Ejaz janjua also boycott the Press Conference. We as Qoam always follow personalities that's why Peers are so popular in Pakistan.
Since inquiry reports have started arriving, its the best time to release the Model Town incident inquiry report to the public. The timing of this report corresponds to 16th Oct elections. Waiting for more fireworks from govt to get the jamhoriat ka champion elected back in the debating club.
they will seek justice only when others are wrong whereas they look for compromise if found guilty.
Imran Khan's "meritocracy" at work.
We reject this report until a report that reflects our own version of the story surfaces. That's the bottom line. A high court judge should be appointed. If that high court judge fails to do his duty and come out with a version we agree with, he is an Iftikhar Choudhary minded judge who has been bought.
I agree with the report. It is all PTIi's fault. Negligence is a crime.
Thank you CM Punjab for the inquiry, we know its a biased inquiry but PTI is also responsible for this tragedy. We know you well Mr. CM what you did in Model Town. Let some one or independent committee inquire this unfortunate event then we can know the facts.You have to go anyhow.
Report findings are just pack of lies, i was present in the jalsa, there was not a single street light on that date. only two doors were opened. My concerns is that how can they lie so blatantly. This is the very reason we need the change where the system works without any executive's influence.
The report still clashes with eyewitness reports that only 2 gates were open.
How come the inquiry report of incidents that don't relate majority party are provided instantly while other inquires take years to provide any report?
It makes me wonder if reaction of PTI's top brass after learning death from stampede of so many people was any different from PML (N) killing at Model town. Both wanted to wash their hand from the deads and blame others for their mistakes. Instead of a blame game & rhetoric, why these politicians don't accept their mistakes and learn from it. Why it is always someone else who causes unfortunate incidents and put a cast on these so called angels?
Nothing new, the nation new the outcome of this enquiry. The sitting Governments are always innocent, like Sharif Bratheran were found innocent in model town massacre. The enquiry team members now try your level best to save your hides as the time is approaching very fast to be accountable before the nation. No sharif will be there to protect you.
Punjab Governments plan was to get the ladies and children killed in the stampede arranged by the touts of the Punjab Government. Fortunately the planned flopped and no loss or any harm was done to the children and the ladies. Shahbaz Sharif wanted to teach the women of the nation that they if tried to participate in PTI's agitation or jalsas, they will be killed. This was the second attempt by the Sharifs to give the ladies and the children a lesson. First one was in Islamabad where the brutalities were let loose by the Punjab Gullu butts. Congratulations Imran Khan the Shahbaz plan failed baly.
We do not accept any institution and this report is totally false. There have been conspiracies against PTI and IK. PTI workers never stole chairs, their stage never broke, the gates were not closed and reserved for VIP, and IK was pushed from the height. We do not make stupid mistakes and do not take any responsibility. It is govt job to provide electricity to PTI gatherings free of charge and the common man does not need electricity while we have a huge gathering. We have always won elections but were deprived our right to govern.
Committee blaming the opposition party for everything and giving a clean chit to the government and then they say went we don't trust committees.
Yes, there's a reason we have no confidence on this dodgy inquiry, constituted by non other than the Punjab Govt. They took three days to decide how to do the most damage to the party, oh yes, lets play the SMQ card.
see guys...that's why you cannot conduct free investigations against rigging in election,under the highness of go nawaz go.........shame,shame,shame on PMLN......was this report not expected??