Chaos and fights outside free food distribution centres have become a common sight in many cities of Pakistan as citizens desperately trying to collect food items amid record high inflation. More fights have erupted over free food distribution despite the recent stampede in Karachi on Friday, according to reports.
At least 16 people, including five women and three children died on Friday in a stampede at a free food distribution centre in Pakistan's Karachi. Thousands of bags of flour have been looted from trucks and distribution points, as people scrambled to secure food amid record high inflation, Reuters reported citing officials.
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As per reports, the stampede was triggered by some people who stepped on a live wire at the distribution centre. Soon, it turned into a stampede and some people fell into a drain cose to the stampede.
The free food distribution initiative was launched last week by Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to aid people amidst a severe economic crisis.
Pakistan has been facing economic turmoil for months and the country is witnessing an acute balance of payments crisis and sky high inflation rates.
Consumer price inflation in Pakistan spiked to a record 35.37 percent in March from a year earlier as the month’s inflation number eclipsed February's 31.5 percent. Food, beverage and transport prices have surged up to 50 percent on a year-on-year basis as per Pakistan’s statistics bureau.
Meanwhile, Annual food inflation rate was at 47.1 percent for urban areas and 50.2 percent for rural areas of Pakistan in March.
Earlier reports indicated that Pakistan's foreign exchange reserves have depleted below the levels of safety and it could barely cover four weeks of imports.
Also read: Pakistan economic crisis | Videos show hundreds in frenzy over free flour, looting trucks
The country has been negotiating a deal with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for the release of a $1.1 billion bailout package since February. However, it has achieved minimal success due to the stringent conditions imposed by the Washington-based lender.
The $1.1 billion fund is a part of the bigger $6.5 billion bailout package the IMF approved in 2019, which is critical for Pakistan to avoid defaulting on external debt obligations.
(Edited by : Jerome Anthony)
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