NAROWAL: A stampede at a mehndi ceremony and prize-distribution event hosted by a TikTok influencer in Sialkot left one person dead and at least 14 others injured, officials said on Saturday.
The event was organised for Muhammad Ansar Jatt, a popular TikToker from Sialkot district known as “Mr Patlu”. The ceremony was scheduled for Saturday night at Faraz Cricket Ground on Daska Road.
Organisers had planned to distribute motorcycles and a car among attendees through a lucky draw. Hundreds of followers from different cities across Punjab gathered outside the venue before the event began.
How the Stampede Occurred
The situation turned chaotic when organisers opened the stadium gates to let people inside. A stampede followed, leaving several attendees on the ground as others pushed through the crowd.
Witnesses described scenes of panic, with people screaming for help as attendees fell and were trampled.
Some participants immediately shifted the injured to nearby clinics and private hospitals. Meanwhile, rescue teams rushed to the venue after receiving reports of the incident.
Police and Rescue 1122 personnel launched a joint operation and transported the injured to Allama Iqbal Memorial Teaching Hospital. Most received first aid and were discharged, while others remained under medical care.
Among the injured was 30-year-old Muhammad Aqeel, who died while being transported to hospital due to his critical condition.
A Rescue 1122 spokesperson said the other 14 injured people were men aged between 22 and 51. They belonged to Narowal, Gujranwala, Sheikhupura, Khanewal, Okara, Sialkot, Gujrat and Bahawalpur.
However, local residents Muhammad Asif and Aamir Ali claimed that more than 40 people had suffered injuries. They said attendees had taken several injured people to nearby private hospitals and clinics before rescue teams arrived.
Police Take Control of the Situation
Sialkot District Emergency Officer Engineer Naveed Iqbal said organisers had not informed Rescue 1122 in advance about the large gathering planned at the cricket ground.
He added that four ambulances and one motorcycle ambulance took part in the rescue operation.
Sialkot District Police Officer (DPO) Dost Muhammad also reached the site with a large police contingent and Elite Force personnel.
On the DPO’s instructions, police took charge of security, controlled the crowd and ensured rescue teams could continue their work without disruption.
Speaking to Dawn, the DPO criticised the organisers for opening the stadium gates ahead of schedule. He also said permission for such an event fell under the district administration’s authority.
Dawn has contacted Sialkot Deputy Commissioner Awais Mushtaq for comment.
The DPO said protecting citizens’ lives and property remained the police’s top priority. He added that authorities would investigate all aspects of the incident and take appropriate legal action.
