August 04, 2007	Saturday	Rajab 19, 1428

GUJRANWALA, Aug 3: The city of Gujranwala and its tehsils have the sole bomb disposal squad and that, too, without proper equipment and manpower. Absence of proper security measures and the ill-equipped and understaffed bomb disposal squad have become a cause of concern for the people in Gujranwala — one of the major districts of Punjab which has the other day faced a blast that left five police constables injured.

Facts gathered by Dawn revealed that Gujranwala, the divisional headquarters having a population of 3.4 million people and three tehsils of Kamoki, Naushera Virkan and Wazirabad, lacked any dependable system of defusing a bomb. The bomb disposal squad is being run by the civil defence and a technician is its in-charge. The other two employees (security officials) actually work at the DCO office and are called out in case of any bomb blast in and around the city.

As the squad has no official vehicle, its in-charge Muhammad Iqbal has to use his bicycle to reach the troubled spot.

After Thursday’s blast near the traffic police office at Gondlanwala adda, he reportedly reached the spot by his bicycle and collected bomb pieces. The bomb disposal squad has no tools like bomb disposal kit, fire suit or explosive detector.

Also ill-equipped is the civil defence office and, according to information, District Officer (Civil Defence) Chaudhry Muhammad Anwar Warraich has to perform the duties of his staff by himself.

A City District Government Gujranwala spokesman said Rs1.5 million had been allocated in the budget to purchase the tools for the bomb disposal squad. Sources said these funds had not been released so far.

CONDEMNATION: The District Bar Association and local prayer leaders have condemned US presidential candidate’s statement favouring attack on holy places in connection with war on terrorism.

At a meeting presided over by bar president Ilyas Rehan on Friday, the participants said the US government should take stern action against the presidential candidate for hurting sentiments of Muslims all over the world.

The prayer leaders during Juma sermons said it was the government policies which encouraged the non-Muslims to think of attacking the holy places.

KILLED: Two friends were killed and another injured when their car collided with a truck on the motorway on Friday.

Reports said Hafiz Hassan Iqbal, son of known industrialist Sheikh Muhammad Iqbal of Wazirabad, was going along with his two friends by a car when it collided head-on with a truck.

Hassan and his friend Ehsan Butt died on the spot while Asim Javed, of Lahore, suffered injuries. He was taken to the Mayo Hospital Lahore in critical condition.