The Pakistani Spectator

I cant understand what has happened to our country. People are losing lives to get food! It should not happen in Pakistan, its not an African country hit by years of famine and civil-war!

At least 20 women and children have been killed in a stampede to get free flour in Karachi, dozens more were injured in the crush.

The flour was being handed out in a poor, congested neighbourhood of the city by a private group.

News Channels showed distraught relatives arriving at a hospital where the injured had been taken.

Some of the victims suffocated in the stampede and others were trampled, officials said.

They said an earlier death toll of 18 had been revised down.

“The incident happened because the distribution was taking place in a very confined area without any precautions,” Karachi police chief Waseem Ahmed told reporters.

He said the man distributing the free flour had been detained because he had not given police prior notice.