The Kinnaird College for Women in Lahore, Pakistan, wants to file an FIR following a stampede at an all-women performance held on campus on March 11. People were “injuring each other,” one of the artists, Asim Azhar, told students on social media, he could not perform because “people [were] getting hurt.”
Over 3,500 tickets were sold despite the amphitheatre’s capacity of 2,500, according to one of the event’s organisers. Outside the venue, there was mayhem, several individuals were denied entry despite having tickets, and a rush occurred inside the stadium.
However, the extent of the student’s injuries are not yet known. There have been no official complaints yet, according to the university’s administration.
“False” allegations on social media about a student’s injury have been rejected, they added.
According to the Vice-Chancellor’s Office, an FIR will be filed and concert tickets will be refunded to individuals who were unable to access the premises.
For those ladies who purchased tickets but were turned away from the amphitheatre, the institution says it has reimbursed almost Rs200,000 worth of tickets. The institution claimed that they refunded the money to students and apologised to the artists, notably Asim Azhar. On Saturday, they had a meeting to determine their next steps.
There was no FIR as of Saturday night, according to the Race Course Police Department.
Artists including Hasan Raheem, Azhar, Risham Faiz Bhutta, Ali Arif, and the band Sami Khan performed, as did actress Hira Mani as a surprise guest appearance. Azhar, on the other hand, could not perform.
Several celebs, including Raheem, uploaded clips from the event, which showed a huge throng.
A statement from Asim Azhar
A heartfelt apology from Azhar to everyone who was “disappointed,” was issued regarding he couldn’t make it to the show on Instagram. It was made especially to people who came to see him. “My crew and I were ready backstage the entire time, but they informed us we can not perform because of problems with management and crowd control. They had to put an end to the injuries that were occurring among the throng,” he penned.
As Azhar pointed out, the venue’s capacity was exceeded because of the large crowd that had gathered there. “I had no other choice but to listen,” he claimed, as it was “legitimately concerning.” For him, it was as startling as it was for the audience members to see him perform. “We feel the same way you do, ” the singer penned the message while wishing he could meet everyone soon.
He noted that he and his crew have no control over some things and that nothing saddens him more than not being able to see and perform for his fans. “Ghalat Fehmi” vocalist stated that his staff did not know what was going on with the tickets and that the organisers or the management were responsible.
“We are simply artists who have been asked to perform. However, we sincerely apologise on behalf of the management as well,” the singer penned.
