Now a days economic situation in Pakistan and related inflation have made things worse for people. People even in average income class and below are struggling to make the ends meet. Same are the reason that people are force to avail any opportunity of relief they get. So that is why we are hearing more and more people losing their lives while being in the lines of cheap floor or where money/grocery items are being distributed as Zakat.
One similar incident took place in the Sindh Industrial and Trading State (SITE) area of Karachi. FK Dyeing Company, which is situated in SITE area, invited families of its own employees for distribution of Zakat. This was actually third day of Zakat Distribution, as the Zakat was being distributed by the company for last three days. However, on the fourth day, unexpectedly too much people gathered on the Zakat Distribution site, which included more than 400 women.
After too much people turned up for receiving the daily use items and kitchen supplies as Zakat, the FK Dyeing Company had to close its doors. As a stampede took place, many women fainted due to the heat. Many died on the spot. Total 12 people died which included 3 children as well.
According to the Local Police of the area, it all happened due to the mismanagement of the Zakat distributing company. They invited people for receiving items as Zakat but they had not done any related logistics work. There was no proper arrangement of making the queues. Also as per required by the law, the local police was not informed as well as none of the ‘No Objection Certificates’ (NOCs) were taken by the FK Dyeing Company.
Police also told, as soon as they heard about the situation, multiple contingents of police rushed to the area to manage and take control of the situation. The people who needed medical attention were rushed to the nearby hospitals. However, due to the damage, which had already been done, at least 12 people lost their lives. There were many other people in critical condition, they were sent to hospitals.
Police also took action against the employees of the company. They arrested many of top management on the charges of negligence. Also, police is searching for the owner of factory, to arrest him. As according to police the required procedures were not followed, also the required NOCs were not taken prior to the Zakat distribution event.
Many condemned this specific event and as well as loss of lives in similar events. One notable tweet from Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) spokesperson, Chaudhry Fawad Hussain condemned this event and others like this which resulted in deaths and overall economic situation of Pakistan in following tweet.
In Karachi goods distribution eleven people killed, in the lines of flour distribution eight people lost their lives. This shows in what situation our economy is in right now. It is a pity that people in power are not serious anything other than the oppression in order to save their thrown.
Tweet by FawaD CHAUDHRY
Not only local but also the international media given coverage to the unfortunate incident. A tweet from Al Jazeera English, an International News channel also mentions the incident in its tweet and related information, tweet is given below.
Not only this, normal citizens also condemned the incident all over the social media, just one such example where a citizen showed her anger on the incident in following words.
Feeling ashamed for being citizen of only islamic nuclear power country which has no food for it’s citizens. People don’t have basic needs like floor. Prime minister and finance minister should resign immediately.
Tweet by Kashmala Naaz
Other than putting all their attention to keeping themselves in power, it is high time that politician start doing what is to be done, to give take steps so that overall economic situation of the country improves. If things remain the same the people in lower income groups will suffer similarly and things will only go worse. Also it will be difficult for politicians to get reelected, at least not via votes of people. As things are improving and many people know and understand their rights.
The economy of Pakistan is currently in a situation, where, to even give the subsidy to their own people, govt need approval from IMF. And this needs to change very soon.