Multan stampede: Report holds PTI partly responsible

Says the rally’s organisers did not follow the agreement signed between the party and the local administration

LAHORE:

A three-member committee – constituted on an executive order by the Punjab chief minister – to probe into the deadly stampede during Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) rally in Multan last Friday has implied that the tragedy occurred due to the non-compliance of agreed rules by the PTI organisers.

On October 10, seven PTI supporters were killed and dozens more sustained injuries in a stampede, which took place when protesters scrambled to the exit gates in the run-up to the rally’s conclusion.



The committee – headed by Punjab Environment Secretary Iqbal Chauhan – dismissed the PTI accusation that the stampede was a conspiracy by the district administration.

In its report sent to the CM on Thursday, the committee absolved the district government of the responsibility of the incident and termed it an accident.

However, the report held the PTI management partly responsible and claimed the organisers did not follow the rules of the agreement signed between the party and the local administration.

The report did not mention the number of gates that were opened for the public to enter or exit the venue but vaguely stated that the gates of the venue were open throughout the gathering.

“Especially the gate where the stampede took place was open at a time when people were exiting the venue and there was adequate arrangement of lighting at the time of the incident,” it claimed.

The report said the stampede occurred when a large number of people tried to exit the venue at once. “In the process, several people fell to the ground and were trampled by others when the exit gate was crammed,” it said.

When people clogged one of the exit gates, ASI Muhammad Anwer informed PTI leader Shah Mehmood Qureshi, according to the report. He informed other leaders, including Ejaz Chaudhry and Imran Khan, who were on the stage at that time, after which Imran paused and requested the participants to move away from the gate, it said.

The committee also said that the district management and police had informed PTI leaders about their reservations but Shah Mehmood Qureshi ignored these warnings.

According to the report, the gate was closed – as seen in videos – after the incident to let the rescue workers operate smoothly. Stating that victims were given first-aid outside the stadium, the report said a large number of participants, rescue officials and police officials were present there.

The committee, on basis of the video footage, said in the report that more rescue vehicles reached the spot when the first casualty was reported to them.

On the use of water cannon, the report said it was an attempt to disperse people before smooth rescue operation could be carried out.

“It proved helpful as it did push people away from the gate and helped those trapped at the entrance to move out,” it said. The report also commented on the rally venue and said it was improper in view of the massive crowd. The report said the available video footage also verifies the facts presented in the report.

Imran Khan’s party, however, rejected the report and said it does not reflect the facts.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 17^th, 2014.