SAHIWAL: Thirty-six people got injured in a stampede late on Sunday at Baba Farid shrine in Pakpattan.

Health CEO Rana Imtiaz, Rescue 1122 and Pakpattan District Headquarters (DHQ) Hospital sources said that of them, 16 were brought to the DHQ Hospital and the remaining injured were treated at a medical camp at the site.

The injured were shifted to the hospital by Rescue 1122, city police and the health department.

People said the stampede occurred when security police failed to control devotees from crossing a makeshift gate at the Baldia side of the shrine. The police asked them to make a queue for entrance to the shrine but they did not listen to them and tried to cross the gate. Eventually, the gate fell on them.

The police resorted to baton charge which panicked them causing the stampede.

Muhammad Aslam told reporters the police resorted to baton charge without any warning.

Published in Dawn, September 18th, 2018