Adding to the list of people who have lost their lives while trying to secure free flour bags, an elderly woman on Tuesday died while she was on her way home after getting the essential commodity in Khanewal's Jehanian.
The government has established flour distribution centres in several districts to provide the commodity free of cost to people during Ramadan as inflation has skyrocketed to a historic high.
But these distribution centres have witnessed mismanagement as long queues line up with people eager to get the essential commodity for free. At some centres, even violence and theft took place.
According to Rescue 1122, the old woman, Rasheeda Bibi, was heading to her home after getting a free flour bag when all of a sudden she became unconscious due to low blood pressure.
She was taken to the tehsil headquarters hospital where she breathed her last.
However, according to the district administration, there was a smooth supply of flour bags at 22 centres, established across the district to facilitate the deserving people.
The latest death comes days after Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had told officials concerned to extend the maximum assistance to elderly people, special persons, and women at the distribution centres.
PM Shehbaz — who came into power last year in April — has vowed to pay unannounced visits to the flour distribution centres across Punjab to ensure a smooth distribution of the bags to the people.