Tragedy struck Karachi, Pakistan on Friday, March 31 when 11 people, including five women and three children, lost their lives in a stampede during the distribution of food aid. 

The incident occurred at a charity distribution site at a factory, where a large crowd had gathered to receive money that was being distributed among the poor for the past few days.

According to Faisal Edhi, Head of Welfare Organization Edhi Foundation, the efforts to control the crowd resulted in chaos, and some people drowned in the nearby stream while others were trampled underfoot.

Sadly, this is not an isolated incident as several other similar stampedes have occurred in recent weeks, leaving at least five more dead and several injured at sites in other provinces in Pakistan. The situation highlights the severity of the economic crisis in the country, with inflation running above 30%, a 50-year high.

The government-backed program to ease the impact of inflation has set up flour distribution centers across the country. Thousands of people have flocked to these centers, hoping to receive some relief in the face of soaring costs. However, the program has also resulted in thousands of bags of flour being looted from trucks and distribution points.

The skyrocketing costs of basic goods have made life difficult for many families, with flour prices alone rising more than 45% in the past year. The Pakistani government launched the flour distribution program to reach millions of families in need during the holy Islamic month of Ramadan, which began last week. However, the stampedes and looting have underscored the desperation of people trying to make ends meet in these challenging times.

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