A stampede broke out on Wednesday during the distribution of subsidised wheat flour outside the offices of Razaar tehsil’s headquarters in Pakistan’s Swabi. No one was injured in the stampede, Dawn reported.
Residents said that mismanagement marred the distribution of subsidised flour. Riaz Khan said people queued up for flour outside the THQ offices and a stampede occurred when they jumped the queue. He said many people attempted to get more flour.
On Wednesday, the Jamaat-i-Islami workers held a protest against the “unjust and mismanaged” distribution of subsidised flour. The protesters shouted slogans and called on the district administration to ensure the provision of flour to deserving people only.
Jamaat-i-Islami (JI) spokesperson Zafar Bukhari claimed that the district naib emir of the party Mian Iftikhar Bacha held a meeting with the assistant commissioner of Razaar tehsil on the issue. However, the latter misbehaved and threatened the former with “serious consequences,” as per the Dawn report.
The JI workers held a sit-in on the Swabi-Mardan Road. However, the protesters dispersed soon after administration officials promised fair flour distribution, as per the news report.
Last week, the price of 50 kilograms bag of wheat reached Pakistani Rupees (PKR) 6,000 in the Swabi district, Dawn reported citing traders and consumers, Dawn reported.
Speaking to Dawn, the consumers called it an alarming situation as they had never witnessed such a high price of grain, making it difficult for them to meet their basic staple needs.
Traders said that they could not rule out further rise in the price of wheat as the wheat harvesting season was still two months away, leading to an increase in the rate of flour. Sher Khan, a trader in Maneri Bala village, said, “The cost of a 50kg wheat flour bag may rise to PKR 6,600.”
Traders stressed that the survival of poor sections of society was difficult amid the record inflation, which could further rise in Ramzan, as per the news report. The consumers urged the provincial government to increase the subsidised wheat flour supply in Ramazan, allowing them to address their basic food needs.
https://www.opindia.com/2023/03/pakistan-stampede-swabi-distribution-flour/
