12 People Killed in Karachi Stampede at Ramzan Food Distribution Centre in Pakistan

On March 31, 2023, a deadly stampede occurred at a Ramzan food distribution center in Karachi, Pakistan, resulting in the death of at least 12 people, including women and children, and several others injured. The stampede occurred after some people unknowingly stepped on a live wire where food was being distributed. As a result, people started pushing each other, causing some to fall into a nearby drain. Most of the victims were women between 40 to 50 years of age, and three children were among the dead. The free food distribution initiative was launched by Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif last week at a time when the country is in the midst of a severe economic crisis. Pakistan has been negotiating with the IMF for the release of a USD 1.1 billion bailout package since February but has so far met with little success due to the stringent conditions imposed by the Washington-based lender. The funds are part of a USD 6.5 billion bailout package the IMF approved in 2019, which analysts say is critical if Pakistan is to avoid defaulting on external debt obligations. With this latest incident, the death toll from stampedes across free food centers in Pakistan has risen to at least 22.