New Delhi: The tenth edition of one of Pakistan’s largest food festivals, Karachi Eat, ended in pandemonium. Attendees shared harrowing accounts of groping, harassment and brawls on social media and with news outlets.
Two days after the festival, citizens in Karachi are still trying to make sense of how it devolved into chaos. Mismanagement, lack of security and no measures to ensure the safety of women all had a role to play.
The three-day festival, held from 6-8 January, saw hundreds of men pushing past security and entering the venue, Karachi’s Beach Park View, without passes or permission.
It ultimately led to cancellation of musical performances and other events. “Attendees report a complete security failure at the event,” said The Pakistan Daily.
“Young Stunners refused to perform and everything was called off. The management just wrapped everything up. The security was equal to none. It’s unfortunate, we have become uncivilised ghosts,” Salman Muhammad, a citizen whose family was caught up in the mishap, told The Express Tribune.
The irony is that Karachi Eat began as a movement to reclaim public spaces.
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Incidents of harassment
Women in particular recounted instances of horror. “There were men outside the venue trying to get in to harass women. The police were trying to control them, and suddenly the lights went out and they were all hooting like crazy. Had to climb out of a broken wall to get safely to my car,” said a Twitter user.
Citizens are aghast at what is being seen as mismanagement and a colossal failure on part of the authorities. Armash Shahab, a dental surgeon, said that such events should be banned if the city is unequipped to handle the security situation. She also said the management turned things from bad to worse by switching the lights off.
“I am a little disappointed and upset because of what happened yesterday. Ladies who came to enjoy the evening with their family and friends were harassed and treated inappropriately by a group of individuals who lacked decency and common sense,” popular singer Kaifi Khalil, who was due to perform at the event, said in an Instagram post, amid rumours of him having been injured in the chaos.
In a statement, the organisers said a large crowd “tore down the walls, fought with the security present, scaled the barricades to enter the premises and spread fear to those present at the event.”
They insisted they had security measures in place, adding that “the crowd was extremely unruly and stormed through the event causing harm to our security as well.”
Citizens are also criticising the silence of elected officials.
“Hundreds of women were harassed by common men of this country yet it will only make rounds on social media. None of our so called elected leadership will sit together to understand how pervasive the issue of women’s harassment in public spaces is,” tweeted Tooba, a Pakistani writer and researcher.
(Edited by Prashant)