The district administration of Faisalabad has failed to make elaborative arrangements to distribute the free flour bags to the deserving families as people staged protest demonstration in two different areas in the district. Throwing traffic out of gear on Huang Road near Sadhar Bypass, the protestors chanted slogans against the government and said the poor are being disgraced intentionally. They said we had been waiting for the free flour for hours and we had been told that flour was not available. Why the stall has been setup and people were asked to come to collect the flour bags when the supply was not available, they asked. They said people were being exploited in the name of free flour.
Second protest took place in Khidarwala where people also blocked road and chanted slogans. They blocked the Muridewala Road and did not allow anyone to cross the protestors. Talking to media, the agitators said that the administration had set up a distribution point for the poor people but now this point has been cancelled. The new point is about twenty kilometres away from here and it is not possible for them particularly for the women to go far away for free flour. They said if the government is really interested to help poor people then restore the Khidarwala distribution point.
Arrangements being made by the district administration are not accurate as people had to wait for hours to get the flour bags and due to the wait they could not go to earn their livelihood. We are facing financial hardships that’s why visited the flour point to get the flour bags, they said adding everything is beyond the reach of the poor people. They said the government had increased the rates of electricity, gas, fuel and essential items but doing nothing for them so that we could earn for our children.
At both points, people dispersed after registering their protest. On Monday last, more than one dozen men and women sustained multiple injuries due to the stampede at the Kaleem Shaheed Park, Faisalabad gate where they were waiting for the free flour bags.
Reports said dozens of people reached the designated point on being informed that free flour bags would be provided to the people registered with the Benazir Income Support Program. When the people reached the spot they found the park gate closed and had to wait outside. The City police officer Nasir Rizvi ordered a probe into the issue and report is awaited yet.
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