KARACHI: Crowds of people stormed the office of a Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf MPA in Baldia Town on Saturday to receive flour bags and packets of rations that were to be distributed for free, upon which the police arrived and prevented the situation from deteriorating.

The crowd had stormed the office of PTI MPA Malik Shahzad Awan.

A senior officer said that the father of the legislator had invited the poor and deserving people of the locality to submit their computerised national identity cards for free distribution of essential food items among them.

The officer said around 200-250 people gathered there assuming that the rations were being distributed at the office.

In the meantime the lawmaker’s father left the place after collecting some CNICs, which apparently angered the mob. They started chanting slogans and became agitated. The police rushed to the spot after receiving information and dispersed the crowd.

The officer said the legislator’s family told the police that the people were their voters and that they didn’t want any legal action against them.

The police advised them not to invite the crowd at the office because it was against the government ban.

Published in Dawn, March 29th, 2020