Point fingers where the fault lies, Mr Khan
Imran Khan was expected to draw a big crowd in Multan as he had done earlier in Lahore and Karachi. One had expected the local PTI leadership to make a right choice of the venue and make other necessary arrangements connected with the gathering. That the local party failed to properly arrange the meeting was clear to anyone who watched the TV coverage. As acknowledged by some of the speakers, there were many more people outside the ground. This indicated that the venue selected for the meeting was inadequate. The stage was overcrowded and people jostled one another to be in view of the TV cameras. Few cared for a PTI leader’s continuous pleading not to disturb Imran Khan during his speech. Several in the crowd fell unconscious due to hot weather and overcrowding during the speeches. Some had to be lifted up to the stage. This was the time to realise the seriousness of the situation.
Before the speeches ended there was a need to appeal to the unwieldy crowd to be careful. As this was not done, everyone rushed to the exits while Imran Khan was still addressing. The jostling led some to stumble over in the onrush. Some died due to suffocation, others because of injuries. This was the result of sheer miscalculation about the numbers of the audience expected and the subsequent failure to manage the crowd.
There is a need on the part of Imran Khan to learn from the tragic neglect on the part of PTI’s local leadership. While one may agree with his demand for a judicial probe into the incident, it would be disgraceful if attempts were made to politicise the death of seven innocent people. The PTI would do well to also conduct an enquiry into mismanagement on the part of its Multan chapter. Imran Khan is an advocate of accountability. Like charity, accountability too must begin at home.
I believe its time to register a case against Imran Khan and hang him to prevent further damage to people and country.
Very accurately written and indicating the flaws / mismanagement – I understand whatever had happened was unintentional but one needs to have a brain to understand the feelers during the speech that things are not in the right direction and the management should have acted proactively to manage the situation rather than focusing entirely on their speech and finally hurrying back to return to the islamabad dharna!
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