GUJRANWALA, Oct 4: More than 15 posts of senior officers, including the divisional commissioner, are lying vacant in various government departments, causing troubles for the public.

Dawn learnt on Friday that the post of divisional commissioner and an additional commissioner had been lying vacant for the last many days, while District Coordination Officer Azmatullah was looking after official routine work. Similarly, the posts of Water and Sanitation Agency (Wasa) managing director, Anti-Corruption Establishment (ACE) regional director, EDO health, chief traffic officer, SP Headquarters, SP Range Crime and SP Patrolling are also lying vacant.

ACE Regional Director Nasir Iqbal Malik was transferred while posts of three deputy directors (investigation) and five assistant directors at regional directorate and four in Sialkot, Narowal, Hafizabad and Gujranwala were also lying vacant.

SHOT DEAD: Two youths were shot dead by their rivals over an old enmity in Madan Chak village on Friday.

Reports said Muhammad Husain and Nadeem were on their way to village when their rivals opened fire on them. As a result, both died on the spot.

Police shifted the bodies to DHQ Civil Hospital for autopsy and registered a case against the accused.

REMAND: Anti-Terrorism Court judge Chaudhry Imtiaz Ahmad granted six-day physical remand of five accused involved in kidnap for ransom through a woman on facebook.

Police produced accused Adeel, a lawyer, his wife Shiza, Advocate Muhammad Umer, Dawood and Muhammad Asif in court and requested for their physical remand. The court accepted their plea and the accused were handed over to the joint investigation team.

The accused had kidnapped Ahsan Waqar of Model Town and Amir Sohail and Hasaan Raza of Kamoki and released them after getting Rs2.7 million ransom from their heirs. Later, the police arrested the accused after registration of a case under the Anti-Terrorism Act.

PROTEST: The family of two slain brothers held a demonstration outside the office of the city police officer for not arresting the accused in the case.

The protesters alleged that four people had killed two brothers, Zahid and Tahir, over a minor issue in Ramzan Colony on Sept 21. However, they said, the police arrested only one accused, Abid, while the three remaining accused were issuing threats to the family.

The family members were carrying banners and placards and chanting slogans against police.

They dispersed when SSP (operation) Ata Muhammad Meo assured them that the accused would be arrested soon.

ACTION: The Anti-Corruption Establishment (ACE) recommended action against an executive engineer and district officer roads of Punjab Highways Department in a corruption case.

The ACE Punjab director had received complaints about the corruption of highways officers in mega project of flyover and construction of roads.

Deputy Director Technical Ijaz Akber Bhatti was appointed as inquiry officer in the case who recommended action against both the officers when the accused did not appear before him despite summons.

DEMO: Scores of young cricketers staged a demonstration and blocked GT Road in protest against the city district government for converting their playgrounds into recreation parks and demanded that the same grounds should be restored.

They alleged that the city district government had converted three playgrounds of People’s Colony and Haidari Road into parks at the behest of members of the provincial assembly and youngsters were deprived of playgrounds.

SUSPENDED: Regional Police Officer Saad Akhter Bharwana suspended an inspector from service over non-compliance of his transfer order and ordered an inquiry against him.

City Police Officer Raja Rifat was appointed inquiry officer in the case.

It was stated Inspector Javed Malhi was transferred to special branch some one and two months ago, but he did not comply with the orders. He was receiving his salary regularly at home.