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ISLAMABAD: For the entertainment-starved Islooites, large scale events are rare treats. This trend seems to be changing, but it’s worrisome that sufficient organisation is not going into some of the bigger events.
This week was a definite treat for Islamabad as multiple concerts happened in the context of Valentine’s Day.
Ali Azmat performed at Lakeview point last Saturday while Rahat Fateh Ali Khan and Edward Maya suitably provided tasteful evenings on Valentine’s Day. Even Air University managed to organise a grand event with Bilal Khan and Quratul Ain Baloch (QB).
“Oh my, this whole place is so full! You guys are jam packed! I mean there is not even an inch of space!” exclaimed QB as she came out on stage at the Air University. The reason for the jam-packed venue was more than the fame Bilal Khan and QB claim; it was a management problem that seems to have become a trend lately.
“Every school concert I have been to has been gate crashed,” commented one of the people in the audience. And as the concert host announced that Bilal Khan is about to come on stage, the back doors smashed open and hundreds of students crashed in trying to fit in the cramped space.
“Please, find a space and sit down! People in the front, we request you to squeeze together and make space for those at the back so everyone can sit down. If one of those people at the back stumbles, everyone will fall!” screamed the organisers and everyone tried to be accommodating.
With great difficulty everyone settled in but it seemed the stream of people coming in would not stop. “People at the back, please please close the door and do not let anyone else come in!” Those were the next shouts as the organisers desperately tried to stop the inflow.
Talking later to organisers, it was learnt that the venue had a capacity of around 1,000 to 1,200 but the attending audience numbered around 1,400 to 1,500. As the large number of students gleefully celebrated having made it in, the organisers jumped on stage trying to placate them.
A teacher was called on the stage and then the VC who all lovingly coaxed and cajoled the students into calmly sitting down and threatened a cancellation of the concert if the audience does not settle down in a safe manner. “This has happened twice before! Please settle down, this is terrible and we might not organise events like these again!”
Finally, the audience settled down and then the organisers strictly ensured that no one got up throughout the duration of the concert which helped keep the situation under control and the concert ended successfully.
However, the fact of the matter is that this was one concert that can be labeled ‘disaster averted’. Having so many people in such a tight space is a recipe for tragedy.
Similar circumstances at a concert at Alhamra Cultural Complex in Lahore became fatal for three girls when a panic threat caused a stampede. Had such a panic occurred at the private university, similar disaster could have occurred simply because the exit routes were blocked and there were simply too many people in too small an area.
A city official revealed that when such an event is organised within university premises, it is the university's responsibility to ensure that adequate safety procedures regarding exit points and fire safety are followed. However, with the continuing trend of gate crashing, it seems that danger still lurks every time an event gets packed beyond capacity.
