ON CAMERA: People crowd to collect free wheat supplied by Pakistan government; leads to stampede and deaths

Pakistani government introduced a free flour scheme for the poor, especially in Punjab province, to beat the skyrocketing inflation. And the result of this was people crowding in huge numbers to collect the food grain being supplied there.

A video allegedly from the Peshawar region of the nation has surfaced online to show the plight of the citizens who rush on the vehicle carrying loads of wheat and lead into a chaotic situation.

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At least 11 people, including women, have died while trying to get free flour from government distribution outlets in Pakistan's Punjab province in recent days. Two elderly women and a man died on Tuesday, while 60 others suffered injuries in stampedes at free flour centres in four districts -- Sahiwal, Bahawalpur, Muzaffargarh and Okara -- of south Punjab. The other districts where deaths were reported are Fasailabad, Jehanian and Multan.

Former prime minister 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 innocent people. Khan said that the "government of thieves" has made people's lives so miserable that they are dying to collect a bag of flour.

Seeing the scenario of mismanagement at the free flour distribution points, Sharif started visiting the centres to ensure a smooth distribution.

(With agency inputs)

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