Woman succumbs to injuries hours after stampede at Karachi’s KPT Ground during disbursement of BISP funds
One of the 21 women who were taken to Karachi’s Dr Ruth Pfau Civil Hospital following a stampede during the disbursement of Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP) funds at the Karachi Port Trust earlier today (Monday) has succumbed to her wounds, police surgeon Dr Summaiya Syed told Dawn.com.
The 40-year-old woman was “severely injured”, Dr Syed said hours after the incident that took place in the afternoon.
According to woman’s medical report, seen by Dawn.com, she was hit by a cow in a mob, according to an ambulance driver. “Upon arrival, the patient had no BP (blood pressure), so was given CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation) as per the protocol,” the report said.
But she could not survive, Dr Syed told Dawn.com.
According to Jackson Police Station House Officer (SHO) Baber Hameed, around “2,000 to 3,000” women had arrived to collect the BISP funds.
He suspected that the lock on the main gate was broken due to which a huge number of women entered, leading to the stampede.
The official regretted that there was only one BISP centre — the KPT Ground — for the entire Keamari district, where women from Machar Colony, Musharraf Colony, Kharadar and Mithadar came to collect funds.
He added that Baldia police officials and the district administration reached the site immediately after the incident and the situation was under control now.
Disbursement of funds under the BISP had resumed today after a break of two days due to intense heat in parts of the country.
A report carried by state broadcaster Radio Pakistan had quoted a BISP spokesperson as saying that the process of payments would continue till Wednesday and would again commence on July 3, after Eidul Azha.