Police blame PTI for deaths in Multan rally stampede
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ISLAMABAD: Multan police have held the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) responsible for the death of at least seven people in a stampede following a PTI rally in the city on Saturday.
The otherwise impressive public meeting at Multan’s Qasim Bagh stadium turned into a tragedy when a large number of people tried to cross one of the exit gates in one go after PTI Chairman Imran Khan left the venue. In the process several people fell on the ground and were trampled by others, leaving seven people dead and 43 injured.
In an initial investigation report sent to the Prime Minister House here today, Multan police claim the PTI paid no attention to the situation even after a police officer present on the stage informed PTI senior leader Shah Mehmood Qureshi about it.
Also read: PTI’s public meeting turns into tragedy
The report also claims that the people responsible for the administration were told several times to make announcements for emergency help, but to no avail.
“Soon after the public meeting, people started moving out of the venue and due to congestion two persons died on the spot,” says the report.
The report says there were only five exit gates which were not enough for such a large gathering of people.
A number of people also slipped and suffered injuries due to water on the ground, it claims.
The police say 200 policemen were posted at the venue and the arrangements were finalised by the PTI just a night before the event.
The report has been jointly sent by the CCPO and the deputy commissioner in Multan.
PTI leader Shah Mehmood Qureshi has termed the report a pack of lies.
Following the incident Saturday evening, the PTI blamed the police and the local administration for the loss of lives, alleging that most of the gates were kept locked and lights switched off early.
PTI chairman Imran Khan expressed grief over the deaths and urged Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif to order an investigation to fix responsibility.
The Punjab government has formed a three-member committee to investigate the incident.
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On DawnNews
Comments (69) Closed
Oct 11, 2014 04:49pm
Stop this non sense, and focus on development of KPK.
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Oct 11, 2014 04:51pm
Can the on the police enlighten us as to where the water came from? Water was there because someone stupid in the administration got fire brigade to throw water (presumably to disperse the crowd) on the already trapped people. this caused further panic. It is so easy to put the blame on PTI's door without explaining who ordered fire brigades to throw water.
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Oct 11, 2014 04:55pm
Imran khan is enjoying power without responsibility! For a change, please stop blaming others and take responsibility for your actions!
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Oct 11, 2014 04:57pm
why did multan police open only one gate & closed the rest of the gates of the stadium? is the responsibility of district administration of multan lies on pti or on punjab govt?
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Oct 11, 2014 04:58pm
Everybody will blame other. It is a fact that PTI has risen the masses and they will come in thousands. I wouldn't be surprised it was a sabotaged as it happened night before in front of the hotel. This has shaken both Nawaz and Zardari. In Karachi PPP has requested 12000 and in Islamabad 18000 plus police. Why here only 200
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Oct 11, 2014 04:58pm
All PTI knows is how to do the blame games. Instead of learning from this incident and make sure it never happens again they start blaming Multan Police. A humble request to PTI leadership; please stop pretending you are "Holier than though" and start taking the responsibility like mature adults.
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Oct 11, 2014 04:59pm
@Haq
PTI is a national party and they have responsibility to make future of the country and not only of KPK.
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Oct 11, 2014 05:02pm
The said Report was prepared by CCPO and the deputy commissioner in Multan both are being accused earlier for being responsible for this catastrophe so how can we believe that this Report is not based on lies? and obviously Shahbaz Sharif is directly responsible.
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Oct 11, 2014 05:04pm
Enough is enough Imran khan I want Nawaz sharief to go as much as you want but you are causing big nonsense and for God sake stop this madness and go home.
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Oct 11, 2014 05:05pm
why did Multan police kept gates closed when jalsa was over & people were going out of the stadium?
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Oct 11, 2014 05:07pm
It is a sad tragedy. Loss of lives is unfortunate. But this tragedy should not surprise anyone. PTI's gatherings and jalsas are always characterised by its mismanagement, chaos and junoon. Haven't we seen leaders falling from stage, people fighting for food and chairs, and workers firing during their own elections in PTI?
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Oct 11, 2014 05:09pm
It is police failure for not arranging proper arrangements now Police is trying to shift blame to PTI to save Nawaz shrief and its Police chief. Police in charge should be charged for murder and FIR should should be register. But I know nothing will be happen as usual.
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Oct 11, 2014 05:11pm
I am not from any political party but if we see in the reality we will come to know who is at fault? since Pakistan came into being?
We are watching PPP and once Zia came he brought PMNL-N and up till now see what development specially for the normal Pakistan nation?
How PPP had this much of money to open Billawal House in Lahore?
Now they are Planning to open in KPK? from where they will have this much money? The money can be use for the public not for their own use?
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Oct 11, 2014 05:22pm
We have the Bill of Rights. What we need is a Bill of Responsibilities.
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Oct 11, 2014 05:23pm
When you blame others, you give up your power to change.
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Oct 11, 2014 05:26pm
peshawar airport closed for night this has never happened in governments of ANP and pro taliban IJI
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Oct 11, 2014 05:30pm
Eyewitnesses say 2 gates were open. Police say 5. Videos support eyewitness reports. Is the police lying?
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Oct 11, 2014 05:32pm
The people came in the rally because they were promised to get food, and music which means most of them were not even workers or supporters. So these people cannot have discipline. For PTI money can give you big rallies but only party has to train workers for discipline. JI and MQM are best examples of discipline.
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Oct 11, 2014 05:33pm
@Xara
I hope people of Pakistan will now realise that Imran and tahir are misguiding the people. Please don't fall prey to politics and work together for Pakistan. You people have so many problems in your country and instead of working hard you attend rallies of politician and lose your precious lives. PML-N, PPP, PTI, PML-Q etc are all same. Now, wait for the next elections and select your new candidates but for now you have to cooperate and support your government.
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Oct 11, 2014 05:35pm
@Rashid sounds like your a saint
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Oct 11, 2014 05:39pm
Stop the blame game. Surely, PTI WALAS can't do anything wrong!!! They have to come clean and admit it that they were least bothered about what was happening in the crowd. They were overwhelmed by the size of the crowd. Their mismanagement was obviously there for everyone to see. You only had to look at the stage and the access to the stage. They couldn't manage that. How could they do anything else. Anyway, it's their preferred choice to blame others if things go wrong. I'm no fan of our state departments but our NAYA PAKISTAN should be a place where those responsible for such mismanagement should take the blame.
Imran Khan gives example of Korean PM who resigned for the sinking of a ferry. It would have been good if anyone who was responsible for this jalsa could have said "Sorry" but PTI is full of rhetoric and is a bit slow on actions; it's quite obvious in the case of KPK government. Very sad!!!
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Oct 11, 2014 05:40pm
Why does PTI expect govt to facilitate their anti-govt rallies ?
PTI is the most mismanaged & ill organizer political party. It is nothing more than a cult revolving around Imran Khan. How will they manage a country when they can't even manage to get a ladder for their stage or drinking water for their workers.
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Oct 11, 2014 05:51pm
Congratulations PTI! you have succeeded in dividing the nation. I think this is what IK has learned from West, to 'divide and rule.' Half of the poulation is blaming gov. for the tragedy and the other half PTI for it. The truth is somewhere in between and S.Mahmood Qureshi is the biggest liar and oppurtinist from Multan. He wants to lay all the blame solely on the gov. The people, the kind we are, cannot be exonerated of this tragedy. This is the lot you are going to lead in future IK, just bear that in mind.
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Oct 11, 2014 05:52pm
i was there when this happened,It was pure mistake of the Police and their administration.
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Oct 11, 2014 06:06pm
What a lie! Reason is there were only 2 exit gates open for such a big crowd because others were closed due to security reasons. Guess who looks after the security? It is district civil administration with the help of police.
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Oct 11, 2014 06:17pm
That was a huge gathering without doubt and goes on to show the massive support PTI enjoys in Multan. But this blame game on police is extremely disappointing. The gross mismanagement during the event where there were too many people on the stage in that heat, was that also due to the administration? Was the lack of a simple ladder also due to administration? The past gatherings, for example in Lahore or Mianwali were done in a much better way, we have to accept that this one in Multan was just mismanaged by the the local PTI leadership. Those responsible for this fiasco within PTI should be condemned publicly rather than shift blame to others.
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Oct 11, 2014 06:19pm
If I go to see cricket match at the stadium and there is a stampede, will we blame Misbah for the stampede or officials in charge of the security?
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Oct 11, 2014 06:19pm
@Haq Have you ever been to KPK? Development and focus is already there.
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Oct 11, 2014 06:23pm
Shahbaz Sharif did not pull the trigger but anyhow 14 were gunned down in Lahore - 7 died after PTI's jalsa in Multan but PTI is not taking responsibility, truth will remain buried who did what, no accountability.
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Oct 11, 2014 06:33pm
Its time Imran khan took owernship of deaths in Islamabad and in Multan . Hiding inside and top of a container doesn't make the tiger any different from the lion.
Imran khan is responsible for these deaths and party leaders of pti who whiz through in their luxury SUVs leaving common man in harms way of bullets tear gas and stampede.
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Oct 11, 2014 06:38pm
@ishaq Heathrow London close for night as well, but yes for other reasons. I live near airport, and feel very comfortable for not having Noise at night. Yes please, ANP and JI zindabad :) You people have now something to say against PTI
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Oct 11, 2014 06:42pm
Must the State only play the "blame game"? Can they not do a better job by stating the facts rather than the conclusions? How many accesses were open? Was the lighting sufficient and routes clealy marked? Were there enough officers trained in safety and how many got involved? Can we state facts before the conclusions? The State with its resources carries the responsibility of listing the facts and if nothing else is guilty of dereliction on this count alone.
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Oct 11, 2014 06:45pm
Clearly a ploy to harm PTI popularity. Why on earth the power to such a big gathering was disconnected, why the three out of 5 doors were closed by the punjab Police,the main reasons for this tragic loss of life. PTI doesnt have any control over either Punjab police and power distribution. Responsibility clearly lies with the Nawaz government.
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Oct 11, 2014 06:50pm
Bring politics into an issue and make a jalebi out of a straight line... the organizers are responsible for the internal management of course, as in where is the stage going to be, where are the chairs going to go, what time the whole thing to start and the likes. At the same time there are volunteers to manage a smooth running of the whole affair, as in guiding people where to go, helping women to make it to the reserved areas etc. The role of the local administration is to provide security, facilities, keep medical facilities at bay and the likes... it is their job, no matter what political affiliation the congregation may have, they are paid to do these things. Secondly, the fact that the police is saying that 5 gates were open, while the public on ground says only 2 were open clearly identifies who was responsible and this can be verified through the media coverage. The only reason the stampede happened in the first place was because there were not enough exits. SIMPLE AS THAT... PTI should not have rushed into the area without ensuring all Health and Safety requirements had been met. The H&S requirements are ensured by the administration... such as if there is any incident in concerts etc. in the UK, it is always the administration that is held responsible, not the band playing...
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Oct 11, 2014 07:12pm
way above the capacity.
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Oct 11, 2014 07:13pm
@Arif Khan pti should be responsible for security and safe being of their supporters it was their jalsa don't blame gov.
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Oct 11, 2014 07:23pm
It is the responsibility of the rally organizers, how to handle the crowd. Not the police . Police job is to maintain law and order. If police stop letting the crowd into the stadium then IK will blame Govt.
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Oct 11, 2014 07:25pm
The report says that 5 exit gates were open, which were not sufficient for such a large.
Ok! But what crowd? The govt ministers up to now had maintained that only a few thousand were attending IK's Jalsas, so where did this 'Large' crowd come from? Had they been oblivious to the crowds or blind to the facts before? In reality, the govt only allowed for this jalsa to happen in the stadium because they saw it as an opportunity to show everyone that IK cannot even fill the stadium. The crowds were simply beyond their worst nightmares.
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Oct 11, 2014 07:56pm
@M.ishaq
PTI should be responsible for their healt & safety. It's the govt who is responsible for the security. Who is responsible for Nawaz and shabaz's jalsa security? PMLN?
Another point I'd like to make is that there were around 30000 policemen to safeguard a few in Islamabad against the dharna of a 'few thousand', why do they only allocate a mere few for a jalsa of hundreds of thousands?
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Oct 11, 2014 08:09pm
@Rashid The term is "Holier than Thou"
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Oct 11, 2014 08:15pm
PTI leader IK and his followers need to grow up and take responsibility for their actions. IK wants to call GALSA's everywhere and have no responsibilities for the security of the crowd who come to join.
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Oct 11, 2014 08:53pm
According to the statement sent to PM office, police told PTI to make emergency announcement. It the duty of local administration not PTI.
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Oct 11, 2014 09:01pm
No fear if we say that place allocated was small to gather such crowd? What about total gates closure? Light switch-off?
Are the people leading Jalsa responsible or those responsible for security/administration?
Big foolers for big fools!
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Oct 11, 2014 09:12pm
@Justice you are absolutely ignorant!!
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Oct 11, 2014 10:11pm
they cant manage their jalsa.how they are trusted with whole nation......
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Oct 11, 2014 10:57pm
@nisar if it was a sabotage what kind of advisors Imran has who advised him to go to isl after the rally and not hospital to see the victims? And then he decides not to attend their funerals. Surely he has his own head instead of taking the gov advice.
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Oct 11, 2014 11:07pm
Imran khan and his party needs to stop this blaming game. If he or his party leaders i.e Qureshi had some sort of humanity then they would have taken some action when some people were in a state of unconsciousness right in front of them and they didn't give a damn about it. Its about time I think Pti needs to pack up from islamabad and show some progress in Kpk otherwise I see their downfall very soon!
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Oct 12, 2014 12:07am
@Noman There.is nothing you can say or do to divert the blame on anyone else. The blame solely on PTI. Heads should roll. Infact Imran Khan should accept responsibility for gross negligence under his watch and resign if he is true to what he preaches.
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Oct 12, 2014 12:08am
@Ahmed why was a gate reserved for VIPs. Isnt PTI against VIP culture. Shame on PTI for double standards.
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Oct 12, 2014 12:12am
@sunny is the people fainting during the jalsa and the senior PTI leaders does not even take any notice of it is also because of the district administration and police?.Pl stop talking irrational
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Oct 12, 2014 12:13am
@Xara They have failed miserably in KPK, how can they perform on national level. Nothing but shame on PTI for the blood ofthose killed are on its hands for it was their job to organize and maintain dicipline at the jalsa site.
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Oct 12, 2014 12:15am
@watchman The responsibility of the police is to provide security and not manage foot traffic. PTI should have deputed adequate staff to ensure organized inflow and outflow from the jalsa.
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Oct 12, 2014 12:18am
@Farooq This was not a cricket match but a jalsa organized by PtI.the responsibikity is on tge organizer.
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Oct 12, 2014 12:43am
@Hatim First, the Videos support the Police. Please do not lie. Second. PTI was responsible for organizing the jalsa hence they are responsible for the deaths. FIR against IK please
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Oct 12, 2014 12:48am
Does n't matter who is to be blamed for this tragedy, we as a nation are undisciplined , chaotic tuned to mob mentality. Feel sorry for the loss of life, condolence to the families.
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Oct 12, 2014 12:52am
@Vikas Rehman there were no hundreds of thousands, there were merely 15,000 people. On police numbers, tge governnent can't allocate entire police to one area and leave other areas un policed. PTIs fault all the way.
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Oct 12, 2014 12:56am
@Taimoor Khan To the contrary the blood of the dead is on Imran Khan. It happened due to the gross negligence of PTI organuzers. If IK has an ioata of shame he will resign.
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Oct 12, 2014 01:11am
It makes me feel sick to read comments made for political scoring with the blame game shifting from Govt to PTI
7 deaths and alot of people good injured was purely because of poor management. The crowds was far too much, all the jalsaas need to be in open places not controlled by gates.
Pakistan needs two honest political parties who believe in honesty and working for poor people, no VIP culture, who can stand up infront of foreign forces to raise image of pakistan, who declare their assets, not do business when they are in politics
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Oct 12, 2014 02:47am
A good argument typically starts with facts and then reaches a conclusion. A flawed argument typically starts with conclusion and then fishes for facts. The State has its strength from credibility based on a track record of proven good. Already most people in Pakistan are losing credibility in the State and whether its is democracy or kleptocracy which drives it. Must the Authorities insist on just tossing false counter accusations or can they reach the conslusion after establishing the facts? Were the exits well lit and clearly marked? Were the security personnel well trained in their duties and how effective were they?
Can the State apparatus not learn from this terrible tragedy on how to avoid it or insist on the behaviour of others to forestall it?
Hiding behind the blame-game policy just is not good enough.
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Oct 12, 2014 03:05am
@Waqar Khalid
The only reason the stampede happened in the first place was because there were not enough exits. SIMPLE AS THAT... PTI should not have rushed into the area
Your comments make no sense. There is another reason for stampede not because of two out 5 exits were open. What if there were only two exits?????
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Oct 12, 2014 03:49am
How has the report been prepared in such quickest way? took less than a day and it implies that the team did not even sleep whole night and kept investigating?
Seems pre-prepared report!!!!
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Oct 12, 2014 04:40am
@Rashid I am in Sydney and do the security job as a crowd controller, bro this incident is purely happened due to the lack of management and if any plolictiacal party announced a rally so this is district gov responsiblity to make the necessary arrangement for crowd exit. Imran khan can't himself cant check all the exit gates and above all of this why 200 police men were appointed?
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Oct 12, 2014 05:06am
People seem to think it's Police's fault. I ask why was police even there? Did PTI pay the police department for the expenses of their service also did PTI pay the electric company for the lights at the venue? I guess not so I pay my taxes and they are being spent on jalsas being organised by a political party. PTI has volunteers to bring people in to the stadium, where we're those volunteers when people were leaving the stadium or were they first ones to leave like Imran Khan. Police was there to provide security and nothing happened as far as security is concerned.
My recondition to Imran hold jalsas during day time so this energy starved country can save electricity bring in trained private security company to manage entry and exit arrangements so the police can provide just the security with a small number of policemen.
People keep quoting how things are done in UK and USA well I had a chance to attend conservative party conference last year in Manchester, UK, not one policeman was in sight even though the Prime Minister was there. Conservative party paid the city council of Manchester 1.6 million pounds to divert traffic and to provide security, medical assistance and cleaning the roads after the conference.
In Multan however I, a tax payer paid for all that. I as a person who paid for all that demands that all political gatherings should be stopped and whoever wants to organise these gatherings should pay for them.
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Oct 12, 2014 05:55am
@Xara really? Then they should resign from kpk as they did in na and pa
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Oct 12, 2014 05:59am
@Ali have you considered from where Ik and tuq arrange so much money to arrange dharna and jalsa?
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Oct 12, 2014 07:25am
For once Ilzam Khan has to stop blame game and take some responsibilty. He cannot just always blame others for his poor management.
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Oct 12, 2014 07:39am
Most of the people who attened the jalsa came to listen to Imran Khan but it does not they were PTI members or support his agenda.If you offer free food and drinks,you will attract hundreds of thousands of people.According to police, five gates were wide open but people rushed to exit the place right after IK left.Why people ran to exit doors, there wa no fire inside stadium.If PTI management or its security team was smart, they could have managed the crowds for a smooth exit. Evidently, they are only expert in blame game.
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Oct 12, 2014 11:10am
From H&S standards perspective, Top Management (organizing the event, be it a public gathering) is responsible and accountable for the safety of the people invited. In this case PTI cannot be absolved of the responsibility. They have Asad Omar onboard, ex-Chairman of a successful corporation with a reputable safety record - he can advise and engage Event Safety experts as a corrective action, PTI needs a deep dive in Risk Management, previously they had almost killed IK, with an unsafe access method to climb the stage in Lahore.
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Oct 12, 2014 10:56pm
PTI believes only in hype.But micromanagement is much more painful and requires silent work which unfortunately PTI leadership does not know.It is high time PTI takes a lesson in fire fighting where fire extinguishing is more necessary rather than shouting from the bottom of your belly to grab other's attention
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