KARACHI: In a tragic incident, at least 21 women sustained injuries during a stampede that occurred at the Karachi Port Trust (KPT) Ground on Monday. The incident took place during the disbursement of funds for the Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP), officials confirmed.
According to Police Surgeon Dr. Summaiya Syed, an initial report suggested the loss of a life during the stampede; however, the victim’s condition was later clarified as critical. The injured women were swiftly transferred to Civil Hospital Karachi for medical treatment, as disclosed by Jackson Police Station House Officer (SHO) Baber Hameed.
A detailed patient list, obtained by Private Media , revealed that a total of 21 patients were admitted to the medical facility following the unfortunate incident. SHO Hameed noted that approximately 2,000 to 3,000 women had gathered to collect the BISP funds. It was suspected that the main gate’s lock had been broken, resulting in a large influx of women and subsequently causing the stampede.
Expressing regret, the official highlighted that the KPT Ground was the sole BISP center serving the entire Keamari district, which attracted women from Machar Colony, Musharraf Colony, Kharadar, and Mithadar to collect their financial assistance. Promptly responding to the situation, Baldia police officials and the district administration swiftly arrived at the scene, successfully restoring order.
The distribution of BISP funds had resumed on the same day after a temporary two-day hiatus due to the scorching heat experienced in various parts of the country.
(Islamabad51-Newsdesk)
