One Dead, 14 Hurt in Sialkot Mehndi Stampede
One man died and 14 people were hurt in a Sialkot mehndi stampede on Saturday night, after a crowd surged through the gates of a cricket ground for a TikToker’s mehndi and prize-distribution event. Police and Rescue 1122 said the crush happened at Faraz Cricket Ground on Daska Road, as organisers opened the gates to let waiting attendees inside.
The dead man was 30-year-old Muhammad Aqeel, Rescue 1122 said. He was among the 14 people hurt in the crush, and he died while he was being taken to hospital because his condition was critical. The other injured people were taken to Allama Iqbal Memorial Teaching Hospital in Sialkot. Police said most of them were discharged after first aid, while the rest stayed under medical care.
The event was the mehndi ceremony and prize-distribution ceremony for Muhammad Ansar Jatt, a TikToker from Sialkot district known as Mr Pattlo. Rescue 1122 said the event was set for Saturday night at the ground on Daska Road. Other local reporting said a car and motorcycle raffle was part of the event, and that the chance of prizes drew a large crowd to the gates.
Sialkot mehndi stampede: what happened at the gate
Sialkot police said that as organisers opened the stadium gates, a stampede followed and many people fell to the ground. Rescue 1122 and police then ran a joint rescue operation and moved the injured to Allama Iqbal Memorial Teaching Hospital.
Rescue 1122 said the injured people were men aged between 22 and 51 years, from Narowal, Gujranwala, Sheikhupura, Khanewal, Okara, Sialkot, Gujrat and Bahawalpur.
Two Sialkot residents, Muhammad Asif and Aamir Ali, told Dawn that more than 40 people were hurt, saying attendees had taken several injured people to nearby private hospitals before rescue teams arrived. That higher figure has not been confirmed by police or Rescue 1122, whose count so far is 14 injured, including the man who died.
Why advance notice and gate control matter
Sialkot District Emergency Officer Engineer Naveed Iqbal said Rescue 1122 had not been told in advance about the large gathering planned at the ground. He said four ambulances and one motorcycle ambulance took part in the rescue operation.
That detail sits at the centre of the questions now facing the organisers. A large crowd needs a plan for entry, exits and medical cover before the gates open. When a waiting crowd moves at once, people at the front can be knocked down and trapped. Staggered entry, clear barriers and a medical team on site cut the chance of a sudden surge turning into a crush.
District Police Officer Dost Muhammad reached the site with a large contingent and the Elite Force. Police said they took charge of security and made sure rescue work could go on without interruption.
Police response and what happens next
Speaking to Dawn, DPO Muhammad criticised the organisers for opening the gates ahead of schedule. He noted that granting permission for such an event fell to the district administration, and said all aspects of the incident will be examined and appropriate legal action will be taken.
Dawn said it had reached out to Sialkot Deputy Commissioner Awais Mushtaq for comment. No response from the deputy commissioner was reported in the statements published on Saturday night.
Who died in the Sialkot stampede?
Muhammad Aqeel, aged 30, died after being hurt in the crush at Faraz Cricket Ground. Rescue 1122 said he died while he was being taken to hospital because his condition was critical.
How many people were injured?
Police and Rescue 1122 put the initial injured figure at 14, including Aqeel. Two local residents claimed more than 40 people were hurt, but that higher figure has not been confirmed by police or Rescue 1122.
Where did the stampede happen?
The stampede happened at Faraz Cricket Ground on Daska Road in Sialkot, during the mehndi and prize-distribution event for TikToker Muhammad Ansar Jatt, known as Mr Pattlo.
What have police said about legal action?
District Police Officer Dost Muhammad said all aspects of the incident will be examined and appropriate legal action will be taken. He criticised organisers for opening the gates ahead of schedule.
