Nasreen, hailing from a lower-middle-class family, eagerly booked a stall at Milli Model School’s exhibition in Abul Fazal Enclave, investing a substantial Rs 9,000 from her hard-earned savings.
However, disappointment struck when more than 130 exhibitors, like Nasreen, learned about the abrupt cancellation of the 2-day event, shattering their hopes of earning some money. She said besides Rs 9,000 for the food stall she had bought Rs 30,000 food items for today’s event.
Faced with the cancellation, some exhibitors gathered at Milli Model School on Saturday morning, attempting to hold back tears and seeking refunds.
Accusations flew as the organiser, represented by a woman, blamed the local police for lack of permission, while some exhibitors pointed fingers at local man Shoaib incharge of the event for mismanaging the show.
One exhibitor, speaking to a YouTuber, highlighted the chaos and a lack of coordination from the beginning.
As word spread, an audio clip of Shoaib surfaced, explaining his stress and hospitalisation, though the authenticity remains unverified.
The incharge of Milli Model School revealed that despite informing the organiser to obtain police clearance after renting the ground some 15 days ago, it was neglected until the last moment, resulting in the cancellation.
Now, many exhibitors are demanding a refund, with a resident noting that the popularity of Milli Model School for exhibitions led the organiser to double the stall prices. But there are fears that the cancellation will dent Milli Model image for holding exhibitions and other shows. Looking at the increasing demand of the ground Milli Model also increased the rent fees.
