18 killed in flour stampede

AT least 18 women and girls waiting to get free flour died when a crowd surge swelled into a stampede in the Pakistan city of Karachi yesterday.

The accident came during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, a traditional time for charitable acts including giving away food.

The women were queuing in a small building with narrow passages. As more entered to get the flour, some began to panic and guards began using force to clear the area.