Report holds PTI responsible for stampede

LAHORE: The first report submitted by DCO and CPO to Chief Minister Punjab said that the stampede at Multan public meeting of PTI took place due to unmannered rush of people to get out of the eastern gate of Qasim Stadium and failure of the organisers to accept their request to make announcement from the stage asking the people not to get out of the said gate due to stampede. The report, a copy of which is available with INP, says that after about 15 minutes of start of speech by Imran Khan, people/audience started to go out from the stadium towards different gates. Due to unmannered rush of people and stampede, some participants slipped and fell down on the ground, while the crowd ran over them. Consequently, two persons died on the spot, whereas, 38 persons were injured. DSP/SDPO Jala1pur Pirwala who was on duty at the eastern gate immediately started rescue operation along with his staff and started shifting the injured along with Rescue-1122. The report said the DSP/SDPO announced with the help of mega phone asking the people to remain away from the eastern gate as there is a stampede. He also directed ASl Muhammad Anwar to rush to the stage for an announcement to inform the participants not to go towards eastern gate.