March 11, 2003	Tuesday	Muharram 7, 1424

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RAWALPINDI, March 10: One person died and three others sustained injuries when an empty oil tanker caught fire at Soan on Monday, the police said.

Rahet Nawaz, 25, was busy in welding some metal parts on an empty oil tanker when the tanker burst due to sparking, which resulted into injuries to four persons, who were also present around, one of the victims said.

The injured, including Sajid Naseer (23), Imtiaz (24), Ashiq (45) and Rahat (25), were shifted to the District Headquarters Hospital, where Sajid Naseer expired on Monday afternoon. The two other victims are stated to be in critical conditions.

The police said the cause of the incident was the gas that had accumulated inside the tanker during the welding.

Meanwhile, One person was shot injured while several others were looted during highway robberies in Islamabad, the police said.

Zamir Hussain told the Golra police that two persons hired his taxi-cab (RIP-822) for Golra. When they were on the way, three persons signalled them to stop and forced the driver to hand them over the keys of the taxi and the cash, the police said. The three persons shot and injured the taxi driver after he refused to give them cash and the cab, the police said.

In the second incident, Tahir Mehmood told Bhara Kahu police that some persons blocked the road at Tamir and snatched cash and valuables from a number of passengers at gunpoint and disappeared.

Tahir, one of the robbery victims, told the police that he was on his way to Bhara Kahu in his pick-up (IDB-3040) when he saw the road blocked with heavy stones. When he stopped his vehicle, he saw some persons, who were hiding in the dark. Meanwhile, these people appeared, held the passengers in the pick up at gunpoint and forced them to surrender the cash. Later, the robbers escaped.

Meanwhile, three vehicles, including two motorcycles, were stolen from Rawalpindi, the police said.

Qazi Mohammad Raza, a resident of Haripur, told the RA Bazaar police that he parked his car (LOP-1090) in the parking-lot of the Combine Military Hospital. After sometimes when he returned, his car was not there. Raja Mehmood’s motorbike (RIX-2304) was stolen from the parking area of the Rawalpindi General Hospital and Javaid Ahmed’s motorcycle (RIW-5299) was stolen from DAV College Road.