MUZAFFARGARH: A 48 years old man died at a free flour point in Jatoi, 100 kilometres from here, on Thursday.

Rescue 1122 said Bashir Ahmed’s death was due to heart attack. As he collapsed waiting for his share of the staple food, rescuers rushed him to a nearby health facility but he could not survive.

Deputy Commissioner Salman Khan Lodhi said when Ahmed complained of pain at the sale point in the morning, a rescue team gave him first aid. Later, he was shifted to the Jatoi THQ Hospital where doctors said his pain was due to a massive heart attack.

The DC said Ahmed was referred to the Muzaffargarh DHQ Hospital where he died after some hours.

DC Salman Lodhi said Ahmed’s family had confirmed that he was a heart patient.

COMPENSATION: The compensation announced by caretaker Chief Minister Mohsin Naqvi for the heirs of those who died in free flour points’ stampede has not reached them.

Bashir Ahmed was the third person who died at flour centre in Muzaffargarh district since the beginning of Ramazan.

DC Salman Lodhi said more than 2.1 million bags of flour would be distributed free of cost to more than 700,000 families in Muzaffargarh and Kot Addu districts. He said more than 30 free flour points were working in the two districts.

He said the process of flour distribution was completely transparent.

Published in Dawn, April 7th, 2023