May 15, 2003	Thursday	Rabi-ul-Awwal 12, 1424

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GUJRANWALA, May 14: Sixteen members of two families fell unconscious after taking contaminated meal in Maraliwala and Baghbanpura villages here on Wednesday.

Abdul Majid of Marliwala village and his family members, who took meal at night, were found lying unconscious on Wednesday morning. They were rushed to the local DHQ Hospital where doctors saved their lives by providing them the first aid. Later, Majid, his wife Shamim (35), daughters Maria (15), Sadia (12), Saba (8), sons Awais (14) and Zubair (4) were discharged from hospital.

Yasmin (50), wife of Muhammad Arshad, brought dahi bhalay from bazaar. But all the family members fainted immediately after eating it. They were admitted to the local DHQ Hospital where Ramzan, Qamer Zaman, Rizwan, Kamran, Ali, Sajida Bibi, Shoaib and others were in critical condition.

PUT behind bars: A banking court sent a defaulter behind bars and ordered auctioning of the properties of four others, including an income tax inspector, here on Wednesday.

According to reports, Muhammad Ayub Khawar owed Rs1.17 million to the Habib Bank’s Gondlanwala Road branch a few years ago. The court issued warrants of his arrest and police produced him in court.

Judge Mumtaz Husain got the accused handcuffed and sent him to jail. The court also ordered auctioning of the properties of four other defaulters, IT inspector Muhammad Taufiq Bokhari, Muhammad Jamil, Tahir Rizwan and Bilal Ashraf. They owed Rs1.87 million to a National Bank branch.

HEARING: District and Sessions Judge Riazul Hassan Alvi on Wednesday completed the hearing in a murder case, whose accused had been shifted to the DHQ Hospital’s ICU, and reserved judgment for Saturday.

Reports said Abid Raza, brother of Punjab chief minister’s adviser Naeem Raza, was arrested and jailed by police in a murder case a month ago. Later, he was shifted to the DHQ Hospital where he was being kept under security.

The judge summoned the jail superintendent and the hospital administration to record statements.

SUSPENDED: SHO Farhan Aslam and ASI Muhammad Aslam were suspended from service by the DIG on the charge of wrong investigation here on Wednesday.

CONTEST: The All Pakistan Scouts declamation contest was held at the chamber of commerce and industry hall here on Wednesday.

Provincial Food Minister Chaudhry Muhammad Iqbal was the chief guest. He gave away cash prizes and shields among the winners.