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Peshawar/Pakistan: There is a political and economic crisis in Pakistan these days. Due to the ever-increasing inflation, the condition of starvation has come here. The situation is that almost half of the Pakistani families are not getting even the bread of June 2. In the country, the prices of not only flour but also of every other daily thing are skyrocketing.
In view of this, the government has started a scheme to provide free flour at government distribution centers. Meanwhile, the officials of Pakistan have made a big disclosure. At least 11 people, including women, have died in Pakistan’s Punjab province in recent days while trying to get free flour from government distribution centers, officials said on Wednesday. The country’s former PM’s party PTI has criticized it.
Heart aching scenes from #Pakistan where people have gathered in large numbers to get wheat flour. @FAO this could easily become a large scale humanitarian disaster.@betterpakistan do you have anything to add please? pic.twitter.com/vxrFwVcfLT
— Dr.Awan (PTI) (@Dr_Sajjad_awan) March 29, 2023
According to information, two elderly women and a man died on Tuesday at free flour centers in four districts of South Punjab, Sahiwal, Bahawalpur, Muzaffargarh and Okara. Not only this, while trying to get free flour here, 60 others were also injured in the huge crowd. Apart from these, other districts where deaths have been reported include Faisalabad, Jahanian and Multan.
According to information provided by a senior Punjab government official, a free flour scheme was launched especially for the poor in the Punjab province to beat the skyrocketing inflation. He told that due to the huge crowd of people at these centers, many people have died in the last few days. The plan is aimed at countering the growing popularity of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan.
A Punjab government official said the incidents took place due to heavy rush of people and lack of facilities at the centers set up for distribution of free flour. Along with this, it has also come to light that people in Muzaffarghar and Rahim Yar Khan cities also tried to rob trucks of free flour.
After which the security forces also adopted a strict attitude. At the same time, the police have been blamed for creating chaos at the centers by manhandling and lathi-charging citizens waiting in long queues to get free flour in the name of maintaining order.
Expressing dismay at the disorder and deaths in different cities of Punjab, the chief minister also directed the officials to better guide and manage the people for their convenience.
Former prime minister Imran Khan has condemned the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz government for its mismanagement at the free flour centres and held Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Punjab caretaker chief minister Naqvi responsible for the deaths of people.
He said that the “government of thieves” has made people’s lives so miserable that they are dying to collect a bag of flour.
