Jalalabad stampede: PM Imran Khan 'deeply saddened' by deaths

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan expressed sorrow over the Jalalabad stampede incident on Wednesday, saying he was "deeply saddened" by the tragic deaths of Afghans.

At least 15 people, including 11 women, were killed in a stampede near the Pakistani consulate in Jalalabad, Afghan officials confirmed earlier today.

Taking to Twitter, the prime minister prayed for the early recovery of the injured and sent condolences to families of the deceased.

"Deeply saddened by the tragic deaths & casualties in a stampede in Jalalabad of Afghans wanting to get Pakistani visas. My condolences go to the victims families & prayers for early recovery of the injured," he tweeted.

Earlier, the Foreign Office had also expressed grief over the situation and called upon Afghan authorities to ensure better management of the visa process.

"We have received with sorrow and grief the news about the loss of precious Afghan lives and injuries in a stampede at a stadium in Jalalabad, several kilometres away from the Consulate General of Pakistan, where applicants for Pakistani visas were being gathered under the arrangements of the provincial Afghan authorities," said the FO.

Stampede kills at least 15

The incident occurred in an open ground where thousands of Afghans had gathered to secure visas from the Pakistan consulate in eastern Afghanistan.

Ten other people including eight women were injured in the stampede.

Sohrab Qaderi, a provincial council member in eastern Jalalabad city, where the incident occurred said of the 15 people dead, 11 were women and several senior citizens were wounded.

Two other provincial officials said over 3,000 Afghans had congregated to collect tokens needed to apply for a visa to travel to Pakistan.